News

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has developed new guidance to help convenience retailers to support customers who are grocery shopping on behalf of others during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Launched today (21st April) the new guidance has been developed to inform convenience retailers about best practice on offering and processing ‘card not present’ payments during the COVID-19 outbreak for volunteers purchasing groceries on behalf of vulnerable customers or people self-isolating.

Content supplied by JUUL Labs: 

JUUL Labs has launched a new Menthol flavour JUULpod, to offer adult smokers in the UK a wider range of alternatives to combustible cigarettes.

Smoking related diseases are responsible for almost 96,000 deaths in the UK annually¹ and it is critically important for retailers to provide adult smokers with access to potentially less harmful nicotine products.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding retailers about the upcoming ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes which comes into force in one month, despite the ongoing situation with the coronavirus outbreak.

From 20th May 2020, it will be an offence for manufacturers to produce menthol cigarettes and retailers to sell menthol cigarettes as part of the European Union Revised Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40/EU).

Today (20th April) the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme opened, meaning employers can now submit their applications for funding for a grant to cover 80% of the salary of workers furloughed as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Under the scheme, retailers can apply for a grant to cover 80% of furloughed workers’ wage costs up to a cap of £2,500 per month, as well as National Insurance and auto-enrolment pension contributions for that wage.

Content supplied by Cennox:

Cennox is committed to helping customers keep safe & continue to carry on as best they can during these unprecedented times. Therefore, we offer ACS members a reduced rate of 10% off any orders of the following products or services by quoting ACS10 when ordering online.

Disinfecting Service

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a letter from Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, to those working in retail during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In the open letter to the retail sector, Alok Sharma MP outlines the support that has been made available by the Government for retailers and thanks those working in and running stores.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published new sector-specific guidance for businesses on ensuring that they keep customers and colleagues at a safe distance from each other. 

The full guidance is available here.Key points from the guidance are included below. 

General Retail Guidance on Social Distancing

Philip Morris Limited (PML) today announced the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) on its new IQOS Menthol Kits. The heated tobacco Kits offer customers a real tobacco product unaffected by the menthol cigarette ban.

One IQOS 2.4+ device and two packs of menthol tobacco sticks known as ‘HEETS’ will be included. The RRP for the Kit is £39 when customers register their device. On top, there is an attractive introductory offer for the retailer.

ACS has launched a new campaign this week, calling on convenience store retailers to report those who are attempting to raise prices unfairly and take advantage of consumers during the Covid-19 outbreak.

ACS is urging retailers to report any instances they see to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), who have set up a taskforce on the issue in response to complaints about price hikes from consumers.

Content supplied by G4S: 

As an ACS member, G4S Cash Solutions are pleased to offer preferential pricing and assistance to the businesses who are remaining open to serve the public. We appreciate you may be dealing with less staff, and potentially more cash at this time, and your regular cash processes could be impacted due to branch / post office opening times or restrictions.