Press Releases
ONS Crime Figures Reveal Shop Theft Jumped 8% Between 2015 and 2016
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released crime figures for the year ending December 2016 in England and Wales, revealing an 8% jump in recorded shop theft incidents.
The figures show that there were approximately 358,235 incidents of shop theft in 2016, which is over 25,000 more incidents than in 2015. The figures support ACS’ own crime survey which also showed an increase in shop theft.
Theresa May Announces Plans for General Election on June 8th
Prime Minister Theresa May has today announced plans to hold a General Election on June 8th this year, with the primary intention of securing a mandate to deliver the UK’s exit from the European Union.
For an election to take place, two thirds of Parliament must approve the plan. It is likely that the plans will go through, as all major parties have welcomed the Election announcement.
ACS Urges Government to Focus on Effective Measures to Tackle Litter
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have published their new strategy to tackle litter in the UK which includes the creation of a working group on the feasibility of a deposit return scheme for bottles and cans.
ACS: Wage Rates Must Not be Subject to Political Point Scoring
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has warned the Labour party not to play politics with the Living Wage, as Jeremy Corbyn announced Labour would increase National Living wage to £10 per hour.
The policy would see the introduction of what Jeremy Corbyn calls the ‘Real Living Wage’, replacing the existing National Living Wage if Labour were to win a General Election in 2020.
ACS: Rate Relief Must Be Delivered Quickly to Hardest Hit Retailers
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on the Government to ensure that councils have full discretion over the business rates relief fund announced at the Budget, and that decisions about the eligibility of retailers are made quickly to support those facing the biggest increases.
ACS: Retailers and Consumers Reject Outdated Deposit Return Schemes
The Association of Convenience Stores and the Scottish Grocers Federation have called for plans to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) to be scrapped after conducting extensive research into the impact of a scheme with both consumers and retailers.
In a detailed submission to the Environmental Audit Committee, ACS and SGF have outlined evidence from both consumers and retailers which demonstrates how expensive, impractical and ultimately ineffective a deposit return scheme would be for the UK.
Lords Committee Recommends Tighter Restrictions on Alcohol Promotions
The Association of Convenience Stores has responded to the publication of a House of Lords Committee Review into the Licensing Act, raising concerns about recommendations made on alcohol promotions and licensing fees.
The 168 page review recommends further restrictions on alcohol promotions (which are already in place in Scotland), whilst also recommending giving power to local authorities to increase licensing fees in their area, resulting in additional costs for local shops, pubs, and restaurants.
LPC: Small Businesses Most Heavily Affected by Living Wage Rates
The Low Pay Commission have published their assessment of the impact of the National Living Wage on businesses over the last year, noting that smaller businesses have been more heavily affected than their larger counterparts.
The report shows that both the number of people and the number of hours worked have fallen over the last year in the smallest businesses. Regionally, overall employment has also fallen over the last year in the North East, North West, the East of England and Scotland.
Read MoreLocal Shop Reiterate Opposition to Bottle Deposit Plans
Trade associations representing convenience stores across England, Wales and Scotland have reiterated their position on plans for a bottle return scheme, outlining the problems that the scheme would cause for retailers.
The Association of Convenience Stores and the Scottish Grocers Federation have written to the Scottish government, highlighting the following concerns about deposit return schemes (DRS):
Read MoreACS Crime Report Reveals £232m Cost of Crime Against Convenience Stores
Figures released today from the Association of Convenience Stores’ Crime Report 2017 have revealed the costs, both human and monetary, of crimes committed against convenience store staff and owners, including shop theft, burglary, robbery and violence. The report highlights the significance of shop theft, with more than half of the total cost of crime accounted for by theft from customers. Key findings from the report include:
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