Today (18th 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.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting USDAW’s Respect for Shopworkers Week, highlighting the need for urgent action to tackle violence and abuse towards shopworkers.
Taking place between 11th-17th November, this year’s theme is ‘Keep Your Cool’, reminding the public that there is never an excuse for violent or abusive behaviour.
The Home Office call for evidence on violence and abuse toward shop staff closed in June and received over 800 responses from individual shopworkers, small shopkeepers, unions and business organisations.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting the launch of a Charter to help make workplaces safer for employers and employees.
Launched on National Personal Safety Day (7th November) ‘Suzy’s Charter for Workplace Safety’ was developed to help identify and mitigate personal safety risks in the workplace.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has worked with ACS and a wide variety of organisations, over the last year including unions, large and small businesses as well as the police and employees themselves to develop the details of the Charter.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a call for evidence from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to help inform the National Food Strategy, highlighting the crucial role that convenience stores play in providing food to their local communities.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a report from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee on the Future of the Post Office Network.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We are pleased the Inquiry has recognised that rising operating costs faced by retailers make hosting a Post Office more challenging. Leaving local shops to offset reductions in Government’s subsidies is unsustainable and won’t deliver the Post Office network that people need in their communities.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on the Welsh Government to consider and clarify the impact on small shops of their ‘Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales’ Strategy, published today.
Today (17th October) the Welsh Government published its ‘Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales’ Strategy which sets out their national ambitions to prevent and reduce obesity in Wales by delivering healthy settings and environments to allow people of all ages to make healthy choices by 2030.
The 2019 Forecourt Report has revealed the vital role that the UK’s 7,402 forecourt shops play in their local communities, through providing secure local jobs, providing access to essential services and taking time out of the business to support local projects.
More than three quarters (77%) of independent forecourts engaged in some form of community activity over the last year, not just through raising money for charity, but also by sponsoring local teams, being part of litter picks and donating to food banks or other food charities.
The Association of Convenience Stores has announced the appointment of Central England Co-operative Chief Executive Debbie Robinson as its new chair from November, with independent retailer Paul Stone taking on the role of vice chair.
Debbie Robinson will take the place of Sewell Retail Ltd Managing Director Patrick Sewell as chair of the board. Patrick has served as chair since November 2016, and will remain on the ACS board.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed further detail from the Scottish Government on the proposed regulations for the introduction of a deposit return scheme, which includes plans to allow retailers to apply for exemptions.
ACS has welcomed new research from City University of London calling for greater action from the Government to tackle violence against shopworkers.
The research, which was commissioned by the Co-op, references ACS’ Crime Report which shows that there were almost 10,000 incidents of violence against shopworkers in the convenience sector last year, 40% resulting in injury of staff. The report calls for:
