News

ACS has called for the minimum unit price for alcohol in Wales to be set at 50p in line with existing legislation in Scotland, and has raised concerns about potential financial incentives for local authorities looking to enforce the new rules as they are being adopted.

In its submission to the Welsh Government’s consultation on what level the minimum unit price of alcohol should be set at in Wales, ACS supports the proposed level of 50p as the consistency with Scottish rules will reduce burdens for retailers who operate across the UK.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the recommendations of the High Street Report, published this morning (Thursday) by the Expert Panel on High Streets.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the latest findings of the independent Access to Cash review, which has published an interim report suggesting that Britain is not yet ready to go cashless.

The Access to Cash Review, chaired by Natalie Ceeney CBE, highlights the overall decline in the use of cash in the UK, as well as a fall in ATM use and an increase in the number of businesses that are becoming cashless.

The Government has published its Resources and Waste Strategy for England, setting out proposals to minimise waste by eliminating avoidable plastics and increasing the productivity of non-biodegradable resources.

The Strategy follows on from the 25 Year Environment Plan and reaffirms the Government’s commitment to consult on a universal carrier bag charge in England, as is already the case in Wales and Scotland.

Areas covered by the Strategy include:

The Government have today published their “Good Work Plan” setting out a new legislative approach to employment rights and status.

The Good Work Plan confirms the Government’s intention to legislate to introduce rights for all workers to request a more predictable and stable contract, the right to a day one written statement for all workers and employees, and improve clarity on employment status workers.

ACS is calling on retailers to share their experiences of retail crime over the last 12 months as part of the annual ACS Crime Survey 2019. The deadline for responses is Friday 14th December 2018.

The survey looks at the impact that crime is having on retailers’ businesses, including the number of incidents they have experienced and how much crime has cost their business in the last 12 months. The survey also considers the causes of these crimes and the measures retailers have in place to prevent crime in their stores.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the Mayor of London’s new Food Strategy which sets out the Mayor’s plans to ensure all Londoners have access to healthy and sustainable food.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an announcement from the Welsh Government, which has confirmed an extension to the high street rates relief scheme for 2019-20.

Eligible businesses will receive up to £2,500 off their business rates bills, with properties with a rateable value up to £9,100 paying no rates at all. The Welsh Government estimates that 15,000 retailers in Wales with a rateable value of up to £50,000 will benefit from the scheme.

ACS is calling on retailers to share their experiences of retail crime over the last 12 months as part of the annual ACS Crime Survey 2019.

The survey looks at the impact that crime is having on retailers’ businesses, including the number of incidents they have experienced and how much crime has cost their business in the last 12 months. The survey also considers the causes of these crimes and the measures retailers have in place to prevent crime in their stores.

Ged Killen MP has led a Westminster Hall debate on the effect of ATM closures on towns, high streets and rural communities, emphasising the importance of ATM coverage in rural areas particularly following bank branch closures.

Speaking during the parliamentary debate, Labour MP Ged Killen mentioned concerns raised by ACS about the effect that ATM closures have had on convenience stores, noting that ATM closures have occurred at a faster rate than LINK anticipated.