News

Vikki Howells MS has been elected as the Chairperson of the Cross Party Group on Small Shops, re-established for the sixth term of the Senedd.

The core purpose of the group is to raise awareness in the Welsh Parliament about policy issues concerning the small shopkeepers who trade across communities in Wales. 

The group has previously hosted the Supporting Entrepreneurship Inquiry and held several set piece meetings with Ministers in attendance on a range of issues affecting convenience stores including: business rates, retail crime and planning reforms.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on retailers to share their experiences of retail crime over the last 12 months for ACS’ Crime Report.

The survey aims to look at the impact that crime is having on the convenience sector and colleagues working in stores, including the number of incidents and how much crime has cost local shops over the past 12 months.

Book your place at the launch of ACS’ 2022 Rural Shop Report, taking place in the Churchill Room, House of Commons on Tuesday 25th January 2022.

The launch event will explore the findings of the report, providing a comprehensive overview of rural shops in the convenience sector and the role that they play in communities across the UK.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation on the Kickstart Scheme, making a number of recommendations for how the Department for Work and Pensions can support job creation in the convenience sector.

The Kickstart Scheme provides retailers with funding to create new job placements and training for 16–24-year-olds on Universal Credit and deemed at risk of long-term unemployment.

ACS’ submission makes a number of key recommendations:

Policing Minister Kit Malthouse has announced that the Government will act to introduce tougher sentences for attacking a shopworker.

The Home Office notified the National Retail Crime Steering Group, of which ACS is a member, that an amendment has been tabled which would make attacking a retail worker an aggravated offence, resulting in tougher sentencing for offenders.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a report from the Food Foundation on its Peas Please initiative which highlights the essential role that local shops play in providing healthy food to their communities.

The Government has confirmed that face coverings will be required in shops from 4am on Tuesday 30th November. 

Customers will be required to wear a face covering unless they are exempt for medical reasons. Colleagues are also required to wear a face covering in customer facing areas, such as the shop floor (also subject to exemptions). 

As was the case when restrictions were in force earlier in the pandemic, retailers are required to communicate the rules on face coverings to customers using signage in store. 

ACS’ Innovation Showcase is now available on demand via the Member Portal!

The Innovation Showcase provides a unique opportunity for you to hear from suppliers that have recently launched, or are about to launch a product that demonstrates clear innovation in the retail industry.

The event featured presentations from Lori Buss Stillman, NACS and Dan Eversfield, National Convenience Show who explored the trends of 2021 and what we should be looking out for over the next twelve months.

This year’s shortlisted entries are:

Retailers are urging shoppers to #ShopKind when they visit high streets this Christmas, as new polling reveals that over one third of shoppers (38%) have witnessed violence and abuse against shopworkers.

With at least two-thirds of consumers flocking back to the high streets, retailers, the Home Office and charity Crimestoppers are reminding customers to be kind to shopworkers and fellow customers. The latest retail industry data suggests that 450 shopworkers are abused each day and it’s feared this may rise during the busy festive season.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation on the future of transport, calling on the Government to provide more support to the convenience sector to help the expansion of the electric vehicle charging network.

Today (22nd November) the Prime Minister announced new regulations for new homes and buildings in England in relation to electric vehicle charging points.