ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is working with the Alzheimer’s Society to create 25,000 Dementia Friends in the convenience sector to help customers, colleagues and communities affected by dementia.

As part of the campaign, ACS is running a number of regional face-to-face training events which are free for members to attend.

ACS has joined forces with Scotland’s leading business representative groups and sectoral trade associations in a joint letter to MSPs, urging them to vote to retain the Uniform Business Rate.

The 26 organisations represent a wide cross section of Scottish industry including manufacturing, retail, property, tourism, hospitality and leisure.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched a campaign in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society to help convenience retailers and colleagues better understand and support customers living with dementia.

Launched today (15^th January), the campaign coincides with ACS’ 25^th anniversary and aims to create 25,000 Dementia Friends in the convenience sector to help customers, colleagues and communities affected by dementia.

Summit20 is an unmissable event for anyone involved with the convenience sector, bringing together retailers, suppliers, and industry experts from around the world to explore the successes and challenges of the industry and discuss new ideas retailers can walk away with.

This year's event, taking place on March 31st at the Vox in Birmingham, will focus on two of the biggest questions facing the convenience sector in the future, looking at whether convenience stores are primarily food retailers, and how the role of colleagues is changing in store.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an announcement from the Welsh Government which has confirmed an extension to the High Streets and Retail Rate Relief scheme for 2020-21.

As part of the scheme, retail properties with a rateable value up to £9,100 will have a rates bill of zero and properties with a rateable value of up to £50,000 can receive up to £2,500 off of their business rates bill.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Communities and Local Government Committee, raising concerns about the negative impact that localising business rates would have on convenience retailers.

Andy Wightman MSP has tabled an amendment to the Non Domestic Rates(Scotland) Bill which would allow local authorities to set the poundage rate and impose additional levies and supplements on retailers. The amendment could effectively abolish nationally-set reliefs including the Small Business Bonus Scheme.

Convenience retailers are responding with caution to continued uncertainty around the Brexit process and the upcoming General Election by delaying and scaling back on investments in their stores over the last year.

Figures from the Association of Convenience Stores’ Investment Tracker show that in the 12 months to November 2019, the UK’s 46,000 local shops have invested £558m in their businesses, down from £737m in the previous year – a year on year decline of 24%.

New research launched today (3^rd December) by the Association of Convenience Stores has revealed the important role that convenience stores play to both the economy and local communities in Wales.

The 2020 Welsh Local Shop Report revealed that 62% of local shops in Wales operate in rural locations, providing essential services to their local communities, including bill payment services (79%), cash machines (68%) and Post Offices (25%).

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has highlighted the convenience sector’s commitment to providing free water refills to customers in response to a new report from Greenpeace.

Today (18^th November) Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a package of measures in his speech to the annual CBI conference which aim to “help business flourish”.

In his speech, Johnson announced plans for a fundamental review of the business rates system to reduce the burden on businesses.

Figures from the ACS 2019 Local Shop Report show that the convenience sector currently pays around £308m in business rates.