News

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a report from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee on the Future of the Post Office Network.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We are pleased the Inquiry has recognised that rising operating costs faced by retailers make hosting a Post Office more challenging. Leaving local shops to offset reductions in Government’s subsidies is unsustainable and won’t deliver the Post Office network that people need in their communities.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding convenience retailers about the upcoming migration of the UK’s telephone network from public switched telephone network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.

The change aims to ensure that the UK’s landline services are ‘fit for the future’ and the transition will be straightforward for the majority of customers but some may require additional support from their communications providers to assist them with updating their services.

ACS’ Security Showcase, taking place in Manchester from 10am-1pm, provides retailers with a chance to hear from experts about the latest developments in crime prevention equipment and how it can be used to protect their business.

The event builds on ACS’ Crime Report, “It’s Not Part of the Job” campaign with the Home Office, and ongoing political lobbying to get better support for retailers and their colleagues.

The Association of Convenience Stores has launched new Assured Advice for retailers on what to consider when providing water refills in store.

The guidance sets out the different ways that retailers can provide a water refill service in store, as well as highlighting some of the challenges of offering this service, especially for stores where there is only one member of staff behind the till.

Key information in the guidance includes:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on the Welsh Government to consider and clarify the impact on small shops of their ‘Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales’ Strategy, published today.

Today (17^th October) the Welsh Government published its ‘Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales’ Strategy which sets out their national ambitions to prevent and reduce obesity in Wales by delivering healthy settings and environments to allow people of all ages to make healthy choices by 2030. 

ACS has responded to new figures from the Office for National Statistics’ annual Crime Survey for England and Wales, urging retailers to report incidents of shop theft to the police.

According to the ONS survey, which covers the whole of retail, the number of police recorded shop theft incidents for the year ending June 2019 decreased by 4% to 368,745 offences.

ACS has welcomed the proposed introduction of a new Sentencing Bill in the Queen’s Speech and has called for further measures to tackle the root causes of retail crime.

The Queen’s Speech sets out the Government’s priorities for the coming parliamentary session. Measures announced in this Queen’s Speech include:

ACS has responded to a number of Government consultations on employment regulations, highlighting the security, flexibility and local nature of jobs in the convenience sector.

The Government is currently consulting on the areas of statutory sick pay, one sided flexibility and plans to establish a single enforcement body for employment rights.

ACS has responded to a new report from Professor Dame Sally Davies, highlighting the work that retailers have done to provide healthy options in store.

Recommendations made in the Chief Medical Officer’s report, which is independent from the Government, include:

There is just one week remaining until the Heart of the Community Conference, taking place on Tuesday 15th October. 

Heart of the Community is the must-attend political conference exploring the issues relevant to politicians, retailers and consumers.

The conference will bring together retailers from across the convenience sector to; hear the latest from leading experts on the policy issues affecting the sector, network with a diverse range of retailers and meet MPs at an exclusive drinks reception on the House of Commons Terrace.