News

The Senedd’s Cross Party Group on Small Shops held its annual general meeting today (17^th January) to elect the Chair, review the group’s activity and agree a plan for the coming year. 

Vikki Howells MS has been elected as Chair of the Cross Party Group on Small Shops Group and Russell George MS has been elected as Vice Chair. 

The core purpose of the group is to ensure that the voice of small shops is heard within the Welsh Parliament. 

The Government has confirmed the introduction of an upcoming ban on a range of single use plastics, which will come into force from October 2023.

The ban will include single use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers. From October, the public will not be able to buy the banned items from shops, takeaways and other food vendors.

Book your place at ACS’ biggest ever annual event, Conference23, taking place on 25^th April at the Vox in Birmingham alongside the National Convenience Show.

ACS Conference23 is a must-attend event for anyone in the convenience sector looking to grow their business, build valuable relationships, and get exclusive insights on how to prepare for the future.

This year’s conference will feature two sessions with practical ideas for everyone to take back to their businesses, whether you’re a single site retailer or international supplier.

Book your free place at the launch of ACS’ Welsh Local Shop Report Launch, taking place on 9^th February at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre in Cardiff Bay.

The morning launch event will delve into the findings of the report and explore the important role that convenience stores play in the lives of customers and communities across Wales.

Taking place on 19th January in Leicester, ACS’ Forecourt, Power and Convenience conference will provide delegates with the opportunity to hear from leading forecourt retailers and a range of experts from across the industry on the opportunities and challenges faced by the sector.

The conference will look into the latest developments in the sector and explore what this means for forecourt retailing. The event will also feature a virtual tour of an EV site followed by a panel discussion.

Speakers and panellists include:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has dubbed the government’s energy support package for businesses as “inadequate, poorly targeted and ultimately pointless” as local shops and many other businesses face a massive hike in energy costs from April 2023. The government is currently reducing business energy bills by effectively controlling the wholesale price that is the main component of businesses’ energy bills.

Content provided by CBE:

Clive Hughes has been promoted to the position of Director UK at CBE, one of Europe’s largest EPoS (Electronic point of sale) providers.

Book your place at the launch of the 2023 Rural Shop Report, taking place on 24th January in the House of Commons.

The parliamentary reception will provide a comprehensive overview of the findings of the report, looking at rural shops’ economic and social contributions to the rural economy, as well as their investments, services, and the flexible, local employment opportunities they offer.

During the event, we will hear directly from rural retailers about the opportunities and the challenges that they face and the impact of upcoming regulations.

Taking place on 19th January in Leicester, ACS’ Forecourt, Power and Convenience conference will provide delegates with the opportunity to hear from leading forecourt retailers and a range of experts from across the industry on the opportunities and challenges faced by the sector.

The conference will look into the latest developments in the sector and explore what this means for forecourt retailing. The event will also feature a virtual tour of an EV site followed by a panel discussion.

Speakers and panellists include:

ACS is encouraging retailers to enter the Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart Awards 2023.

The Disability Smart Awards give retailers the opportunity to recognise the achievements of their team and store in meeting the needs of disabled customers and colleagues, from providing great customer service to ensuring that their store is accessible for everyone.

There are 10 Disability Smart award categories this year, these are: