Press Releases

Retail industry bodies the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN) have called on local shop owners to write to their MPs explaining the negative impact that proposed changes to Sunday Trading regulations could have on their business.

The Association of Convenience Stores has urged the Low Pay Commission to fully consider the impact of the national living wage on local shops and other businesses after a consultation was published today seeking views on the issue.

The Commission’s consultation asks for views on the future rate of the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, although the National Living Wage rate of £7.20 per hour for 2016 has already been dictated by the Chancellor in the 2015 Budget.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has today launched new guidance for retailers on how to meet the needs of disabled customers in store.

The guide has been developed in partnership with the Business Disability Forum, and covers a range of issues including wheelchair access, how to assist blind or visually impaired customers and how to assist those with dementia.

ACS has urged the government to include small businesses in the upcoming carrier bag charge in England after new figures from WRAP showed that single-use carrier bag usage in England rose by 200m in the last year.

From October this year, all businesses that employ 250 or more staff will have to charge customers a minimum of 5p for each single-use carrier bag. ACS has previously called for small businesses to be included within the charge to prevent consumer and retailer confusion over which shops do and don’t charge for carrier bags.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has published a detailed analysis of the impact of the introduction of a £7.20 national living wage in April 2016.

The new research by ACS shows that:

The Association of Convenience Stores has criticised the Government’s decision to introduce a mandatory living wage for workers over 25 as a reckless measure that will have a significant negative impact on the sector.

The Association of Convenience Stores has heavily criticised plans introduced in the Budget to allow local authorities to decide whether to remove Sunday Trading rules.

During today’s Budget, the Chancellor confirmed that the Government will seek to devolve powers to change Sunday Trading rules to local authorities as part of the Enterprise Bill.

Local shops have condemned Government plans to give major towns and cities the power to remove Sunday Trading regulations, warning that the move will be complicated, ineffective at increasing trade on the high street and would threaten the livelihoods of convenience store owners.

New figures released today by the Association of Convenience Stores have shown that convenience retailers have invested £177m in their businesses in the period between February and May 2015.

Overall, more than one in four stores (28%) surveyed said that they were planning to invest in their store, an increase on both 2014 (24%) and 2013 (21%).

Regionally, more stores are planning to make investments in the South West of England than anywhere else in the UK (35% making some investment), while the lowest levels were found in the North West with 22% making investments.

ACS has called for the development of Primary Authority partnerships in Scotland and for the inclusion of trade associations so small businesses can be fit too in response to a Scottish Government consultation on the scope of the schemes.

In its response to the consultation, ACS has highlighted the success of existing Primary Authority partnerships administered by trade associations in England and Wales, including ACS’ own Primary Authority Assured Advice scheme, and called for the same provisions to be made in Scotland.