ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has submitted evidence to a government taskforce looking at business’ experiences with regulation, highlighting the vital role that local shops play in their lives of the communities that they serve and work to provide a range of services locally.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy consultation on establishing new rules around government subsidies.

The consultation was launched following the end of the transition period for leaving the European Union on 31st December. The consultation looks at establishing new UK subsidy control rules, to replace existing EU-derived state aid law.

ACS has called on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to confirm the implementation date and communications plan for retailers ahead of upcoming changes to laws on plastic bags.

The new rules will see all retailers in England included in mandatory plastic bag charging, whilst at the same time setting the minimum amount that can be charged for a plastic bag at 10p. The rules were initially planned to come into force on April 30^th, but DEFRA are set to revise that date due to issues with the parliamentary timetable.

From today (1^st April) the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates are increasing, following recommendations made to the Government by the Low Pay Commission (LPC).

In addition to the increase, the National Living Wage is being extended to 23 and 24 year olds, as announced in the Chancellor’s 2020 Spending Review.

From today, the new rates are as follows:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has urged the Government to ensure that new planning rules maintain the diversity and viability of high streets and town centres.

The Government has announced new rules which will make it easier to turn retail space into residential properties. Coming into force today, the rules mean that instead of full planning permission, developers will go through what the Government is calling a ‘simpler prior approval process’ to turn retail space into residential.

From 1^st April, the minimum price of a single-use carrier bag (SUCB) in Scotland will be increasing from 5p to 10p in an effort to help tackle plastic waste.

Retailers with more than 10 employees (FTE), must keep records on the number of SUCBs sold in the business, with a requirement of keeping these records for a minimum of three years.

Yesterday (28^th March) the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced that home testing for Covid-19 has been expanded to businesses with over 10 employees.

From 6^th April, the workplace testing programme will supply home test kits to companies with over 10 workers where it is not possible to set up testing on-site, due to a lack of space or because companies operate across multiple sites.

Today (25th March) Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey unveiled the new polymer £50 note featuring the mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing.

The polymer £50 note contains advanced security features, including:

ACS has responded to the publication of a new consultation on the next steps for a deposit return scheme in England and Wales, reiterating its calls for the Government to introduce a scheme that is well-designed for retailers.

The 2021 Crime Report, launched today by the Association of Convenience Stores, reveals that 89% of colleagues working in local shops have experienced some form of abuse, with over 1.2million incidents recorded over the last year.