Advertise on podcast: ACS: The Local Shop Podcast

Chris is joined by Paul, Daniel, Jordan and Rosie in the ACS team to look ahead to 2026 on some of the key areas that will affect the convenience sector, and the ways that you can get involved with our activity in the year ahead.  Check out some of the resources mentioned in the episode below:  Upcoming events: https://www.acs.org.uk/events/upcoming-events Policy Tracker: https://www.acs.org.uk/web-portal/briefings-and-advice/policy-tracker Crime Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ACSCrime2026

Chris sits down with James and Ed to discuss what's coming in the Budget, looking at everything from business rates to crime, fuel duty and employment costs. 

We talk to John Clancy, co-founder and CEO of Galvia AI about how artificial intelligence can change the way that convenience retailers think about their businesses.  Galvia AI is a sponsor of the ACS Innovation and NPD Showcase, taking place on October 21st at the National Football Museum.  More information about Galvia is available here: https://galvia.ai/

The ACS Crime Report has revealed a new record level of shop theft, with over 6.2million offences committed in the last year. The report comes on the eve of the second reading of the Crime and Policing Bill, which aims to make a meaningful change to crime in communities.  In this episode, Chris Noice is joined by Nisa head of retail Taranjit Dhillon, independent retailer Ben Salvaratnam, James Lowman and Ed Woodall to discuss the findings of the Crime Report and what strategies work in local shops to reduce crime in the future. 

Chris and James talk through the impact of the main announcements in the new Labour Government's first Budget, including employer National Insurance Contributions, business rates, and a new commitment on tackling shoplifting. 

Chris, James and Ed talk through the commitments made in the manifestos released this week from the main parties looking to count on your vote at the General Election.  We cover how the parties stack up on key issues like crime, business rates, employment and public health.  Get the latest from the campaign trail at the ACS Election Centre online at ACS.org.uk

James is joined by Gareth Evans from Spectra, Phil Ponsonby from Midcounties Co-operative and Anna Butcher from John Lewis to discuss how convenience retailers are working with the underutilised parts of the workforce, including ex-military, prison leavers and care leavers, to provide important career opportunities. 

We react to the news that the General Election will be held on July 4th after a surprise announcement from the Prime Minister. Plus, what does the election mean for legislation that's currently working its way through parliament, and how can you get involved with the campaign by hosting a store visit with candidates. 

In this special episode of the Local Shop Podcast, Chris is joined by Susan Nash and Alisdair Hamilton from Mondelez to talk about the history of the Cadbury business and how Mondelez is supporting independent retailers in 2024 and beyond. Retailers, go to https://www.snackdisplay.co.uk/ for more info!

Chris is joined by James and Ed to talk through the raft of measures that the Government has announced on the vaping category in recent months, the impact that they will have on retailers, and what we might expect next.  Retailers can get in touch with their MP about the impact of the disposable vape ban via the ACS website at https://www.acs.org.uk/disposable-vapes-ban

Guest host Sarah C Johnson is joined by leading retailers Sunita Aggarwal and Charlotte Dant to discuss International Women's Day, the Women's Independent Retail Network and much more! 

Chris is joined by James and Ed to discuss the big announcements from the Chancellor's Budget.  P.S. We had some audio issues with this recording, so please bear with us! This is a temporary issue that will be fixed next time around. 

Chris, James and Ed preview the upcoming Spring Budget and discuss the latest developments on the disposable vapes ban. 

James sits down with Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne OBE and National Business Crime Centre lead Patrick Holdaway to discuss the recent developments on shop theft and tackling retail crime. 

Chris, James and Ed discuss what was in (and what wasn't in) Jeremy Hunt's Budget, including a complete failure of Government to address the cliff edge of energy costs facing convenience stores.