James Lowman news, comment and analysis – Page 24
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Comment & Opinion
Third Party: We can’t let the Big Society wither and die
A recent report showed genuine interest in Cameron’s ideal but ministers need to deliver on policy, says James Lowman
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NewsAdjudicator Bill is published but post may not be filled until 2014
The government has published its draft Grocery Code Adjudicator Bill, outlining how the ombudsman will oversee the Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP). The GCA will investigate complaints from suppliers, arbitrate in disputes between suppliers and large retailers and produce an annual report on compliance.
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NewsC-stores furious over red tape stigma for Sunday trading regulations
Small store owners have slammed the government for attempting to bring an end to existing Sunday trading rules under the guise of reducing red tape.
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NewsRetailers welcome Red Tape Challenge
Retailer groups have given a cautious welcome to the government’s pledge to cut red tape. The Association of Convenience Stores and the British Retail Consortium backed the launch this week of the Red Tape Challenge website, which gives businesses and members of the public a forum to highlight badly designed regulations they believe create an unnecessary burden.
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NewsBudget 2011: Tobacco duty rise 'a boon to black marketeers’
Legitimate retailers will suffer at the hands of the tobacco duty rise announced in today’s Budget while black marketeers prosper, industry chiefs have warned.
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Analysis & FeaturesLansley out of his mind over ‘blank cheque’ for criminals
Retailers fear unscrupulous gangs will undermine all the government hopes to achieve with a display ban and plain packaging, says Ronan Hegarty
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NewsTobacco display ban gets go-ahead for 2012
Tobacco products will go under the counter in England after all – but not until April 2012 for large stores and 2015 for smaller shops. Announcing sweeping plans to reduce the impact from smoking on public health, the government today confirmed its intention to bring in the controversial display ban. ...
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NewsLowman: jobs claims are supermarket spin
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman has urged the government to ignore "supermarket propaganda" on job creation to save the nation's failing high streets. Speaking at the association's annual summit, held in...
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Rankings
Hot 100 Convenience Stores 2011: A first for the industry
No one’s done it before. But now 37,000 of the country’s c-stores – their locations, facilities, competition and customer bases – have been weighed up so we can reveal the UK’s 100 hottest spots for convenience retailing. Nick Hughes reports
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NewsLowman rallies troops for ‘vital political battle’ ahead of ACS Summit
Delegates at the ACS Summit will be warned that convenience retailing is “in the grip of its most important political battle for years”.
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NewsACS calls on Chancellor to deliver retail-friendly Budget
Retailers are piling pressure on the Chancellor to deliver a Budget that protects the future of local shops and puts them at the heart of the UK’s economic recovery. The Association of Convenience Stores said it was lobbying George Osborne with a series of policy proposals ahead of next month’s Budget.
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Comment & Opinion
Moment of clarity
North of the border devotees of Robert Burns were last night raising a glass of something medicinal to toast the great poet and help wash down the traditional feast of sheep’s stomach and mashed turnip. Maybe some subversive types even sparked a cigar.
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Comment & Opinion
When good men do nothing
They say evil prospers when good men do nothing. And by doing very little today, the coalition has managed to upset almost everybody. Retailers in England and Wales are to be banned from selling booze below the cost of duty plus VAT.
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NewsOFT must block Tesco’s Mills deal, says ACS
The Association of Convenience Stores has called on the Office of Fair Trading to block Tesco’s acquisition of Mills Group.
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Comment & Opinion
Saturday Essay: Tesco should face tough questions from the OFT
Its acquisition of Mills shouldn’t be waved through simply because it plans to use One Stop name, says James Lowman
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Comment & OpinionBlogof’s crystal ball: your guide to the year ahead
January Shoppers revert to a feral state as the big freeze returns. Man turns on wife, parent on child and pet against pensioner as society's norms break down. There are even reports that a tribe of heavily...
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Comment & Opinion
Next Year's News: the Daily Bread guide to 2011
Daily Bread brings you the biggest stories of the year to come - before they happen
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News
ACS: Tesco should face scrutiny over Mills buy
The ACS is calling on the competition authorities to closely scrutinise Tesco's acquisition of the CTN and c-store business of independent retailer Mills Group.
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Comment & Opinion
Tilting at Mills
They say that a good big’un beats a good little’un. But while scale has its advantages, stealth isn’t usually one of them.
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NewsTesco grows One Stop with swoop for northeast indie Mills Group
Tesco’s convenience chain, One Stop, has acquired northeast independent retailer Mills Group for an undisclosed sum.