As part of Mental Health Awareness Week (18th-24th 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 20th 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 (13th 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 (6th 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 20th May, the following will be banned:
The ban does not affect the sale of:
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has provided evidence to two Parliamentary Inquiries which explore the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and the food supply chain, highlighting the vital role that local shops have played in feeding communities.
The House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s inquiry looks at the impact of the outbreak on businesses and workers.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has developed a resource to help convenience retailers work with councils to provide support to the vulnerable customers living in their communities.
Retailers can fill in the ‘Retailer Services Checklist’ with details about the products, services and support that they have available for their customers, particularly those who may be more vulnerable or who are self-isolating.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the launch of a new £1.5 million fund from GroceryAid to help grocery 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.
The new fund aims to provide help to colleagues in three key ways:
