Press Releases

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee on the implications of Covid-19 on tax policy.

The House of Commons Treasury Select Committee launched an inquiry calling for views on whether the Government’s economic response to the pandemic should be reflected in changes to taxation.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is promoting new guidance for retailers developed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on meeting legal requirements towards disabled customers.

The guidance outlines reasonable adjustments for retailers to consider in order to support disabled customers visiting their store, including:

ACS has welcomed the extension of the plastic bag charge to include all retailers.

From April 2021 in England, the new minimum charge of 10p will apply to plastic bags in all stores regardless of the size of the business. Currently the charge is set at 5p, and only applies in stores with more than 250 employees. Wales and Scotland both have universal charging schemes.

ACS has been calling for the charge to be universal in England since before its introduction in 2015, citing the success of existing universal schemes in Wales and Scotland.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting Usdaw’s petition calling on the Government to introduce legislation to protect shopworkers from violence and abuse.

Launched today (19th August) the House of Commons petition ‘Protect Retail Workers from Abuse, Threats and Violence’, urges the Government to introduce legislation to create a specific offence for abusing, threatening, or assaulting a retail worker.

More speakers have been announced for the convenience and local shop sector’s pre-eminent political event, the ACS Heart of the Community conference!

This year’s conference will take place virtually on 13th October, bringing together convenience retailers, industry experts and senior policy makers to explore how the latest political agenda and legacy of Covid-19 will impact convenience store businesses now and into the future.

Book your place at ACS’ unmissable annual conference taking place on 9th September 2020.

Summit20 will be taking place as a virtual immersive event with three main sessions:

1. Leading experts will explore the future of the industry, asking how we can support colleagues working in stores, and what the food offer of the future looks like.

2. The launch of the 2020 Local Shop Report, featuring insights from retailers on what the report says about their businesses.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is working in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society to host a number of online awareness sessions to create more Dementia Friends in the convenience sector.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has pledged to work with the government and local authorities to make sure the planning system works for communities and the retailers who serve them. ACS’ comments come with the launch of a major consultation seeking views on proposals to reform the planning system in England to streamline and modernise the planning process.

Launched today (6th August) the ‘Planning for the Future’ white paper focuses on transitioning from a case by case discretion-based planning system towards a rules-based system.

Bookings are now open for the convenience and local shop sector’s pre-eminent political event, the ACS Heart of the Community conference!

This year’s conference will take place virtually on 13^th October, bringing together convenience retailers, industry experts and senior policy makers to explore how the latest political agenda and legacy of Covid-19 will impact convenience store businesses now and into the future.

Book your place as ACS’ unmissable annual conference taking place on 9th September 2020.

Summit20 will be taking place as a virtual immersive event with three main sessions:

1. Leading experts will explore the future of the industry, asking how we can support colleagues working in stores, and what the food offer of the future looks like.

2. The launch of the 2020 Local Shop Report, featuring insights from retailers on what the report says about their businesses.