News

ACS is delighted to announce more details for this year’s Power, Mobility and Convenience Conference.

This year’s conference, taking place online on 5th July from 10:00am, will explore how the UK’s 7,000+ forecourts can adapt and change in the future on the road to Net Zero, as well as looking at new and emerging store formats. With the growth of the electric vehicle market challenging the traditional forecourt model, more retailers are looking to innovate to stay relevant to a demanding modern consumer.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging retailers to get involved with a campaign which aims to increase awareness of how vital our senses are to living life to the full, especially for people with complex disabilities.

Throughout July, national disability charity Sense is encouraging people to host a Sensational Tea Party – a bake sale/coffee morning with a sensory twist. The aim of these tea parties is to help communities reconnect, create conversation and break down barriers as well as raising vital funds to support people with complex disabilities

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be working with BCC Marketing to speak to over 2,000 convenience store retailers as part of our annual Local Shop Report survey.

In its submission to the Labour Market Enforcement Strategy, ACS has highlighted the importance of the 392,000 jobs provided in UK convenience stores and the benefits that those jobs provide to colleagues.

The Director of Labour Market Enforcement, Margaret Beels OBE, has sent a call for evidence for devolving a new Labour Market Enforcement Strategy, for the enforcement of employment rights with a view to protecting workers.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on retailers to take part in its annual National Living Wage Survey.

ACS’ National Living Wage Survey will inform ACS’ submission to the Low Pay Commission’s consultation on future wage rates. The consultation is seeking views on:

The Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS) is encouraging businesses to take part in two training programmes which have been developed to help business owners learn new skills, reach more customers and boost their profile.

ACS has called on the Welsh Government to support local shops in Wales by helping them to invest in energy efficiency measures, recognising the status of employment in convenience stores, and taking action to ensure that stores can get the deliveries that they need.

At an evidence session taking place as part of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee held today (26^th May) in the Welsh Parliament, ACS has highlighted the measures that the Welsh Government can take to support small businesses during the cost of living crisis and wider recovery from the pandemic.

Today (25th May) during an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Future of Retail, ACS has highlighted the security, sustainability and flexibility of local employment in the convenience sector. 

The evidence session, chaired by Liz Twist MP, heard from James Lowman (ACS chief executive), Cliff Lee (Retail Trust head of wellbeing), Neil Duffy (Retail Trust commercial and services director), Helen Barker (EVRi head of public affairs) and Chris Morris (USDAW deputy head of research and policy).

I was on the TV over the weekend being interviewed about the cost of living crisis and the link to shop theft. The narrative is seductively simple: people are struggling to feed their families so are stealing food and essentials from shops to do this. There’s just one problem: this isn’t what’s happening.

ACS is reminding retailers about the resources available to help them prepare for the upcoming HFSS regulations.

ACS has published a new comprehensive set of frequently asked questions on the details of the upcoming HFSS (high, fat, salt, sugar) regulations, covering everything from queueing areas and island units, to the status of the regulations in other UK nations.