All ACS articles – Page 27
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News
ACS criticises minimum wage recommendation
Convenience stores’ representatives have expressed concerns over the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation for a 3% increase in the National Minimum Wage. Addressing a committee of MPs, business secretary Vince Cable said the Low Pay Commission had recommended a 3% increase in the minimum wage, which would take the adult rate ...
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News
ACS publishes report on crime
Theft cost convenience stores £44m and has risen by 4% in the last year, according to a new report by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). The Crime Report 2014 sets out the impact of crime on the convenience sector and includes guidance to help retailers manage the cost of ...
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News
ACS calls for stronger action over energy contracts
The Association of Convenience Store (ACS) has responded to the publication of two consultations from the energy watchdog Ofgem, calling for more to be done to tackle problems faced by retailers when dealing with energy companies. Ofgem has published consultations on the issues of Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs) and rollover ...
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News
ACS warns over level of crime
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has urged ministers not to be complacent about the level of crime facing retailers, after the government’s latest survey showed a significant fall in the level of crime. The Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) reports that overall crime levels fell by 10% ...
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News
ACS calls on Ofgem to limit backbills
The Association of Convenience Stores has written to the energy regulator Ofgem, calling for all energy suppliers to limit backbills to 12 months. In December, Ofgem published the results of an investigation into backbilling cases between 2012 and 2013, revealing that over the course of 12 months there had been ...
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Analysis
James Lowman: chairman ACS
There is a growing consensus that radical change to the business rates system is required. We have been arguing for a long time that if the government wants to see businesses investing and creating jobs, then it has to take clear steps to reduce the costs that stand in its ...
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News
ACS calls for stronger sentencing for crime in shops
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called for out of court penalties to be restricted to first time thieves as part of its response to the Ministry of Justice’s review of out of court penalties. In its submission to the review, ACS highlighted that while out of court penalties ...
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News
ACS chief warns on minimum wage rise proposal
The ACS chief executive James Lowman has warned that a suggested rise of 50p in the national minimum wage could cause serious damage to the convenience store sector. Responding an article in The Times he said: “The article suggests that the Chancellor and the Prime Minister are convinced that a ...
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News
ACS welcomes new Victims Code
A statutory code has come into power this week which recognises businesses as victims of crime, and has provisions for ‘business impact statements’ to allow retailers to report the wider implications of crime on their stores. Justice minister Chris Grayling said: “Victims deserve the best possible support to cope and ...
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News
Cost pressure is rising says ACS
Damaging retail cost increases were the focus of the annual Heart of the Community Conference organised by the Association of Convenience Stores, attended by more than 150 forecourt and convenience retailers.The event encourages retailer engagement with MPs and featured Minister of State for Business and Enterprise Michael Fallon, and Shadow ...
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NewsRising costs threaten convenience retail business, says ACS
Damaging retail cost increases were the focus of yesterday’s annual Heart of the Community Conference organised by the Association of Convenience Stores, attended by more than 150 forecourt and convenience retailers. The event encourages retailer engagement with MPs and featured Minister of State for Business and Enterprise Michael Fallon, and ...
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News
ACS advice for Chancellor ahead of Autumn Statement
The Association of Convenience Stores has set out a series of recommendations to Chancellor George Osborne ahead of the Autumn Statement on December 4 to support convenience store retailers. On business rates, ACS recommends a 2% cap on annual rates increases to provide businesses with greater certainty in their financial ...
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News
ACS urges review of use of police cautions
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has urged the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to press ahead with a review of the use of cautions for offences such as shop theft. The MoJ has announced new guidance for the police stipulating that that criminals should not get more than one ‘simple’ ...
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News
ACS urges changes to HMRC duty fraud proposals
The Association of Convenience Stores has responded to HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation on alcohol fraud, calling for the regulation of wholesalers to be properly enforced while minimising burdens on retailers. In its’ response, ACS has called on HMRC to ensure that retailers who very occasionally sell in large amounts ...
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News
ACS gives evidence to Low Pay Commission
ACS has given evidence to a hearing of the Low Pay Commission as part of its deliberations on the National Minimum Wage. Speaking to commissioners, ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We urge the commission to recommend a freeze in the minimum wage. We are aware that there is significant ...
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News
ACS opposes abolition of personal alcohol licences
Abolishing the personal alcohol licence would not achieve a lessened regulatory burden for retailers and would lead to significant confusion and inconsistency is the message of the Association of Convenience Stores in its submission to Government. Chief executive James Lowman said: “Ministers announced in July their intention to remove the ...
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News
ACS welcomes voice for business victims of crime
Businesses will be able to make Impact Statements when they are victims of crime, as part of new measures announced by the government in the revised Victims Code. The Association of Convenience Stores has welcomed changes to the Code to give a stronger voice to retailers affected by crime. In ...
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News
ACS calls on Chancellor to lift burden of business rate hikes
The convenience retail sector could be hit with an increase in business rates totalling nearly £26m next April, following today’s announcement by the Office of National Statistics of a Retail Price Index of 3.2% for September 2013. In response, the Association of Convenience Stores has called on the Chancellor to ...
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News
ACS warns Cable not to meddle with minimum wage
Business Secretary Vince Cable has been warned by the ACS about the dangers of political interference in the setting of the national minimum wage. Cable believes that as signs of an economic recovery start to emerge, more needs to be done to make sure that the benefits of growth are ...
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News
ACS urges retailers to submit views on alcohol licence consultation
Retailers are being encouraged by the Assocation of Convenience Stores (ACS) to submit their views on a consultation by the Home Office, which proposes the end of the personal alcohol licence. The consultation is entitled Personal Alcohol Licences: Enabling Targeted, Local Alternatives. In the foreward Jeremy Browne, Minister of State ...