The Association of Convenience Stores has written to business secretary Grant Shapps calling for an extension of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, as it warns store closures are inevitable without extended support.
The trade body has proposed the scheme continue until at least April 2024 for convenience stores across the UK, providing retailers with more certainty in order to continue doing business and serving communities.
It is also calling on retailers to write to their MPs to highlight the impact of rising energy costs on their businesses.
From April 2023, convenience retailers face paying three to four times as much for electricity as they did in 2021, at an average £88,000 per store, equating to a total bill of up to £4.3bn for the sector.
“The Energy Bill Relief Scheme has provided a lifeline for thousands of convenience stores, but without longer term support retailers tell us they may be forced to close, or at best cancel investment and make difficult decisions about staffing and service provision in stores,” said ACS CEO James Lowman. “We need the scheme to be extended through to April 2024, with an announcement as soon as possible to enable retailers to make plans for next year.
“The case for supporting convenience stores is clear. We provide over 405,000 jobs at store level across the UK, we are the business type that has the most positive impact locally, and we provide an unparalleled range of products and services on people’s doorsteps.
“The closure of a convenience store in any community is an enormous loss, so we believe our sector represents the best return on investment for government looking to provide targeted support.”
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