News

New research from the Association of Convenience Stores has shown the essential contribution that the UK's petrol forecourts make to the economy, to working people, and to communities. 

The 2017 Forecourt Report highlights the continuing evolution of forecourts as both retailers and service providers, with stores often leading the rest of the convenience sector in key growth areas like food to go, coffee and technology in-store. 

Key findings from the report include: 

The Bank of England’s new Banknote Checking Scheme has been launched this week, aimed at cash-handling businesses and promoting banknote checking at point of sale through targeted training. Its aim is to reduce the number of counterfeit notes being accepted and to reduce losses to businesses.

There is just one week remaining until ACS' headline political conference of the year, Heart of the Community 2017. 

This year's conference will take place at Church House, Westminster on 17th October between 12pm and 4pm and will feature a host of industry experts and senior MPs who will share their vision on how to engage locally and help local shops thrive in the future. 

Speakers at the event include: 

ACS is delighted to announce that Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Rebecca Long-Bailey MP is confirmed to speak at the 2017 Heart of the Community Conference on October 17^th in London.

At the event, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP will outline how a Labour Government would support the convenience sector, looking at business rates, employment costs and other pressures on the sector.

ACS has raised concerns about the costs and administrative burdens that new ‘Track and Trace’ proposals on tobacco could have on the convenience sector.

The EU Revised Tobacco Products Directive aims to introduce a method of tracking the sale of legitimate tobacco products through the supply chain. Up to this point, the Directive has stated that they would only affect the ‘last economic operator before the first retail outlet’ but the latest draft of the regulations includes a number of demands on retailers purchasing tobacco from a wholesaler.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove’s announcement of a new call for evidence on bottle deposit return schemes, urging the Government to consider the negative impact that such schemes would have on the convenience sector.

This year’s Heart of the Community conference takes place on 17th October at Church House in Westminster between 12pm and 4pm. Attendance is free for retailers and other ACS members, click here to book your place. 

The event will bring together retailers from across the country with industry experts and Government Ministers. High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP will address retailers on the key issues affecting the convenience sector and the Government’s plans to help small businesses and high streets.

ACS has welcomed a new report from recycling and waste management company Viridor which highlights the need for a more consistent approach to recycling from local councils.

Bottle deposit return schemes would impose significant time and cost burdens on convenience store retailers and their staff, according to evidence presented by ACS at the Labour Party Conference this week.

At a fringe event hosted by the British Soft Drinks Association on Monday evening, ACS detailed the issues that would be faced by retailers if they were forced to be part of a bottle deposit return scheme.

It is now just a few weeks until Heart of the Community 2017, ACS’ headline political conference of the year in London on October 17^th.

In addition to hearing from High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP and senior business leaders during the event, the conference will feature an interactive Local Engagement session which aims to facilitate discussion between local stakeholders and retailers about how they can work better together.