The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on the government to introduce measures that will help local shops survive the winter as energy bills continue to soar.
Looking to combat energy price rises and ensure that shops remain open, ACS CEO, James Lowman has called on the government to issue his three-point plan worth £575 million.
The initiatives set out within the Emergency Budget include introducing a small business electricity cap in line with that of consumers, scrapping business rates for all convenience stores until the end of the current financial year and freezing the business rates multiplier at its current level for the next financial year.
The trade union‘s demand for urgent action comes following its estimation that electricity bills have more than doubled within the last 12 months to £2.5 billion this year.
It warns further increases will put strain on retailers, risking the jobs and livelihoods of thousands within both big and small communities.
According to the 2022 Local Shop Report, the UK’s convenience sector employs around 405,000 people across 48,000 stores. However, with the current energy crisis one in ten shops could be forced to shut.
Speaking of the energy price cap last month on BBC Radio 5, Lowman said: “At the beginning of the year, typically, our members would be paying 15p per unit for electricity. They’re now being quoted upwards of 60p a unit. That’s more than quadruple the amount.
“We don’t like to catastrophise, but the sums just don’t add up. Something has got to be done to support them.”
