ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has announced the new date for its annual conference and launch of the 2020 Local Shop Report.

Summit20 will now be taking place on 9^th September 2020 as a virtual immersive event and this year’s conference will also feature the launch of the 2020 Local Shop Report.

Confirmed speakers include:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation launched by the Ministry of Justice on a draft revised Victims’ Code.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has worked with Trading Standards to provide clarity for local shops about the sale of age-restricted products in relation to customers wearing face masks or face coverings.

When serving customers wearing face masks or face coverings who wish to purchase an age-restricted product in store, retailers should consider the following:

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week (18^th-24^th May), ACS is reminding retailers about the support available from GroceryAid to help colleagues deal with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

GroceryAid is a national charity offering emotional, financial and practical advice and support on a range of issues for all grocery colleagues and their immediate families.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a ruling from the Supreme Court which has concluded that external ATMs should not be subject to a separate business rates assessment.

Valuation officers challenged a Court of Appeal ruling which concluded that ATMs at existing properties, either inside or outside, should not be subject to separate bills

In a ruling today (20th May) a panel of five justices dismissed the Government’s appeal and upheld the Court of Appeal decision from November 2018.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding retailers about the tobacco changes in force from today. From 20^th May, the menthol cigarettes ban with come into effect and the sell through period for unmarked stock in the tobacco track and trace system will end.

Menthol Cigarettes Ban

From 20th May, the following will be banned:

New findings from the Association of Convenience Stores have revealed the challenges faced by retailers and colleagues since the lockdown, and the changes that they have made in store to keep their communities going.

The ACS Covid-19 Impact Survey shows that while two thirds of convenience stores have seen sales increase in the last two months, a third have seen a fall in sales with 26% reporting that sales have fallen significantly.

This week (13^th May), the regulations for a deposit return scheme in Scotland were passed by the Scottish Parliament.

From July 2022, consumers will have to pay a 20p deposit on single-use drinks containers made of PET plastic, steel aluminium or glass, which they then get back when they return the container to their local shop or other return point.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an announcement that a revaluation of business rates has been postponed.

The Non Domestic Rating (Lists) Bill 2019-20 was introduced to bring the date of the next revaluation forward from 2022 to 2021.

Today (6^th May) Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced that the scheduled revaluation will no longer take place in 2021 to help ease uncertainty for firms affected by the coronavirus.

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

From 20^th May, the following will be banned:

• Menthol cigarettes (this includes capsule, click on, click & roll, crushball or dual menthol cigarettes)
• Cigarettes or hand-rolling tobacco which has been packaged with flavoured filters or papers

The ban does not affect the sale of: