ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on the Home Office to amend the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to create a new offence of assaulting a shopworker.
Today (9th September) the Home Affairs Select Committee published the Government’s response to its report on Violence and abuse towards retail workers.
49% of independent convenience store owners have reported that they’ve worked every day over the last year, doubling the total from last year (24%).
The 2021 Local Shop Report, published this week by the Association of Convenience Stores, highlights how hard retailers have been working over the last 12 months to keep communities going and make sure that there is still enough on the shelves for customers.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched new guidance for the convenience sector to provide retailers with practical advice on how to support wellbeing for themselves and their colleagues.
Launched today (31st August) the Wellbeing Guide has been developed in collaboration with the What Works Centre for Wellbeing (WWCW) to provide guidance for retailers of all sizes about practical steps to take on the shop floor to improve staff retention and customer service via a healthy, engaged workforce.
Today (30th July) First Minister Mark Drakeford announced that from 7th August all adults who have been fully vaccinated and are not displaying symptoms will no longer have to self-isolate if they are identified as close contacts of someone with coronavirus. Retailers in England and Scotland will have to wait longer for fully vaccinated colleagues to return to work.
From 7th August in Wales, instead of instructing fully vaccinated adults to isolate, contact tracers and advisers will provide them guidance on how to protect themselves and stay safe.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called for the Government’s new plan for cutting crime and tackling the underlying causes of repeat offending, to translate into real action for people operating and working in shops across the country that are repeatedly falling victim to crime.
Book your place at the launch of the 2021 Local Shop Report, taking place in Birmingham and as a virtual event on 8th September.
The launch event will explore the findings of this year's report and provide a comprehensive look at the stores, people and services within the convenience sector.
The event will feature a panel session with a group of leading convenience retailers to reflect on the findings of this year’s report and to find out about the running of a convenience store first-hand.
Confirmed speakers include:
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the Government’s response to a consultation on sanctions to tackle tobacco duty evasion, highlighting the damaging impact that the illicit trade has on legitimate retailers.
The consultation, launched at the end of last year, sought views on proposals for new sanctions linked to the UK’s tobacco track and trace system, and extending HMRC’s traceability enforcement powers to Trading Standards officers.
Book your place at ACS' Heart of the Community conference, taking from 11.30am – 6.00pm on 18th October at One Great George Street, Westminster.
ACS’ unmissable political conference will bring together over 200 retailers and will address sustainability for local shops and the emerging politics which will impact stores beyond the pandemic.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a call for evidence into financing and capitalising SMEs, which is looking into how diversifying funding models could improve access to finance.
In its submission to the APPG on Fair Business Banking, ACS outlines the difficulties convenience retailers have faced when trying to secure finance to invest in their businesses, particularly during the pandemic.
