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Retailers have issued a plea to customers look under 25 to work with them to check their age by removing their face coverings when buying age restricted products, such as alcohol and tobacco.

The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group (RASG) has today issued a new poster alerting customers that look under 25 that they may be asked to remove their face coverings to help check their age. The new poster has been issued in response to new government regulations requiring the mandatory use of face coverings in retail stores from Friday 24^th July.

ACS has welcomed new laws being laid in parliament which aim to make it easier to repurpose commercial and retail space.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the publication of the long-awaited call for evidence on reform of the business rates system.

The call for evidence, which will be open to submissions until 31^st October, considers several areas of the business rates system and calls for views on how the system can be reformed, including whether:

ACS has launched a new poster for retailers to help communicate the new rules on face coverings that come into force later this week.

From Friday July 24^th, wearing a face covering will be compulsory in shops in England. The rules do not extend to colleagues in stores, although the Government strongly recommends that colleagues wear a face covering where possible.

There are a number of exemptions for people who are not able to wear a face covering, which are detailed on the poster. These include:

In its evidence to the Low Pay Commission, ACS has outlined convenience retailers’ concerns about the impact that rising wage costs will have on the local, flexible and secure jobs offered by the convenience sector.

I’m not the first person to note that the Covid-19 crisis has shaken up politics. After the December 2019 election, we were expecting to be dealing with a government populated by libertarians and putting great faith in the free market and personal responsibility. The one thing we didn’t expect Boris Johnson to be accused of was operating a nanny state, but that’s exactly the charge being levelled by some now.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an update from the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy (JACS) Group on safeguarding the UK’s cash infrastructure, highlighting the importance of cash to businesses and consumers.

The Joint Authorities Cash Strategy (JACS) Group brings together the Bank of England, Payments Systems Regulator (PSR) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure comprehensive oversight of the overall cash infrastructure across the UK.

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LocoSoco Group Plc introduce sustainable products and services into communities in a way that shares revenue and equity with community partners.

During this pandemic, LocoSoco supported over 300 communities in making hand sanitisers and cleaning products affordable and accessible with their refill model, delivering over 40 tonnes of Hand Sanitiser nationally. 

Content supplied by SECOM:

We are running a series of 30 minute webinars to demonstrate the benefits of our Covid-19 response solutions, helping to protect customers and staff.

SECOM Capacity Control: Occupancy and social distancing management

Prominent local visual alerts and warnings suggesting when occupancy limits are breached or when it is safe to enter.

From today (15th July) the rate of VAT on eat-in or hot takeaway food has been cut from 20% to 5% until 12th January 2021.

The temporary VAT cut was announced as part of the Summer Statement as an urgent response to the coronavirus pandemic as part of the effort to support businesses impacted by forced closures and social distancing measures.

Last week, ACS received clarification that any vendor providing food and drink for consumption on the premises, or hot takeaway food or drinks are eligible for the reduced rate, including local shops.