Politics

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the Competition and Markets Authority’s Price Marking Report, highlighting the overall high rate of compliance on pricing in the retail sector. 

The report, published this morning, includes the result of inspections of 139 shops between November 2023 and February 2024 to check price marking and pricing accuracy. 

ACS has welcomed confirmation from the government that the introduction of deposit return schemes in the UK will be pushed back to October 2027, subject to agreement from the devolved administrations. 

In a written ministerial statement published this morning (April 25th), Robbie Moore MP confirmed that the previously scheduled October 2025 go live date for a deposit return scheme was a ‘stretching target’ and that an October 2027 implementation would be required to ensure that the rollout of schemes was effective and efficient. 

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the publication of regulations outlining the Government’s plans to ban disposable vapes, highlighting the huge financial impact that the ban will have on retailers.

It's frustrating that policy-makers still seem to think that banning something will mean it ceases to exist. The Scottish Government has published the statutory instrument it will use to ban disposable vapes and by the time you read this Westminster may well have followed suit, with both jurisdictions deliberately using the parliamentary mechanism that will attract the least debate and attention. 

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the Government’s decision to continue exempting small shops from unit pricing regulations.

In its response to the consultation on improving price transparency and product information for consumers, the Department of Business and Trade has concluded that there is no compelling case for removing the exemption. The majority of respondents to the consultation, including ACS, supported this outcome.