ACS (the Association of the Convenience Stores) has welcomed the publication of the Government’s levelling up white paper, specifically the commitments to tackle crime in communities and boost connectivity in rural areas.
Other News
Government Must Not Leave Rural Shops Behind in Levelling Up Agenda
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on the Government to provide more support for rural convenience stores as part of the levelling up agenda, highlighting the vital role that these businesses play to the economy and to their local communities.
ACS Launches Expanded Challenge25 Campaign to Support Colleagues in Local Shops
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched a new campaign to boost awareness of Challenge25 among consumers and support colleagues in local shops selling age restricted products.
Challenge25 is a long running successful policy created to support colleagues who are doing their job by enforcing the law on age restricted sales. The policy, which urges colleagues to check for proof of age for anyone that might look 25 or under, is most commonly used for alcohol purchases but also applies to all other age restricted products.
ACS: HMT Committee Examines Increasing Cost of Card Payments for Businesses
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the publication of correspondence from the Treasury Committee which sheds further light on the increasing cost of card payments for businesses in the UK.
One Week to Go: Book Your Place at ACS’ Welsh Local Shop Report Launch!
Book your place at the launch of ACS’ 2022 Welsh Local Shop Report, taking place virtually on 12th January, 10 – 11am.
This virtual launch event will explore the findings of the 2022 report, taking a look at the stores, people and services shaping local shops in Wales.
The event will include a speech from Economy Minister Vaughan Gething about the Welsh Government’s plans to support local shops and the Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths will talk about the positive impact of local shops on their communities throughout the pandemic.
ACS: Take Part in the 2022 Colleague Survey!
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched its annual Colleague Survey and is calling on people working in local shops to provide their views on employment in the convenience sector.
Now in its seventh year, the ACS Colleague Survey is designed to:
ACS Launches Women’s Independent Retailer Network
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched a new group which aims to act as a support network for women running independent convenience stores.
The group was formed to provide women with a space to connect with each other and share their experiences and perspectives. ACS will facilitate quarterly meetings for the group, featuring guest speakers and workshops where the group will explore a range of topics, including: public speaking, confidence and how to use social media.
ACS: Tougher Sentences for Shopworker Attacks Sends Much-Needed Message
Yesterday (15th December) the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill had a Report Stage sitting, where an amendment addressing abuse towards public facing workers was considered.
ACS has outlined the scale and impact of violence and abuse against shopworkers, with over 40,000 shopworkers experiencing violence and 89% experiencing verbal abuse over the past year in briefings to peers throughout the passage of the Bill. Ahead of the debate ACS contacted and briefed Peers to urge them to support the amendment.
ACS: Government Must Safeguard Long-Term Access to Cash for Communities
Today (15th December) a number of major UK banks have announced plans to work together and share services to ensure that communities can continue to access their cash.
The collaboration has been achieved through the Access to Cash Action Group and signals a long-term commitment to ensuring that consumers can continue to have access to cash and banking services.
Communities will also be able to request a review of their community’s needs from the summer of 2022.
ACS: Delay to Implementation of Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland
The Scottish Government has announced that the introduction of a deposit return scheme bottles and cans has been delayed and will go live across Scotland on 16 August 2023.
The announcement follows an independent review which highlighted the impact of Covid-19 on the scheme. The scheme was originally due to be introduced in this year and this was then pushed back to July 2022 but has now been delayed for a further year.