New CEO and a new era for ACS

It was with a sense of solemn purpose that Ed Woodall addressed his first annual conference as the newly appointed chief executive of the ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) in Birmingham on 15 April.  Ed’s role is to look out for the interests of the retailers in the channel and he set out his commitment to ensuring that going forward the ACS will redouble its efforts to protect the sector and help preserve and develop a beneficial environment in which it can thrive.  Setting out the ACS’ mission under his leadership Ed said: ‘The convenience sector is changing faster than ever. ACS has a vital role in helping the next generation of retailers succeed by sharing practical advice, insight and evidence-based guidance. Our research, expertise and network are foundational tools for anyone trading in the convenience sector today and for those building the local shops of the future.’

A stormy outlook for UK convenience

There’s no doubt Ed’s resolve will be needed, it’s an inescapable fact that in 2026 the channel faces an unprecedented storm of headwinds.  Driven by the uncertainties of global instability and overlayered by the burden of new regulations and intensifying threats from both legitimate and illicit competition, retailers (and their suppliers) are staring down the twin barrels of ‘a cost-of-living crisis plus a cost-of-business crisis’ (to quote Phil Ponsonby, ACS Chairman and Chief Executive for Integration at the recently formed Our Co-op).

These challenges were an ever-present theme over the course of the conference through the mix of presentations, discussion panels and audience participation.  It was no surprise that the audience responses identified ‘supply chain instability’, ‘illicit trade’ and ‘the discounters’ as the primary threats currently faced by businesses in the convenience channel.

Clearly there’s also an increasing sense of urgency about the impending implementation of convenience significant government legislation and a slight sense of rising panic that the sector is not yet prepared for the impact of the generational tobacco ban (January 2027) and the DRS (Deposit Return Scheme – October 2027).  Indeed, the ACS estimates that only one in five independent retailers has yet made plans to engage with the DRS implementation, and though some progressive retailers have already installed a reverse vending machine in preparation these are very much the exception.

But the sector is resilient and remains optimistic

If the first half of the conference laid bare the scale of the challenges facing UK convenience, the second half was far more uplifting, offering tangible reassurance that the sector possesses distinctive strengths no other retail channel can easily replicate.

A recurring theme was community. Futurist William Higham, founder of The Next Big Thing, highlighted trust as convenience retail’s most powerful and underutilised asset. In a striking statistic, Higham noted that 56% of UK adults say they do not trust government, big business or the media, yet they do trust their neighbours and local community. It is here, he argued, that convenience stores occupy an enviable position. Embedded in neighbourhoods, familiar to customers and run by visible local people, convenience retailers have a licence to play a far more central communal role than larger, more anonymous formats.

That theory was brought vividly to life by Charlotte Dant, an independent retailer from Lincolnshire, whose stores have consciously evolved into a genuine “third space” for their community. From hosting “Breakfast with Santa” events to partnering with the local foodbank, Dant showed how convenience stores can become social hubs as well as retail destinations. These initiatives are not simply altruistic; they build loyalty, trust and relevance that no price promotion can buy. In a period of economic and social uncertainty, that sense of belonging may prove invaluable.

Flexibility providing strength

Another structural advantage repeatedly emphasised was flexibility. As Steve Browne, Heart of England Co-operative CEO, neatly put it, “the format must fit the location”. Unlike larger store formats bound by rigid operating models, convenience stores can adapt rapidly to the specific needs of their catchment: ranges, missions, services and even store layouts shifting to reflect local demographics and usage patterns. Leaning into the make-up of each location, delegates heard, is fundamental to long-term success.

Andy Allen, Retail Operations Director for BP, illustrated this point at scale. He outlined how BP forecourt operations differ dramatically between neighbourhood sites and motorway service areas, with tailored ranges and missions designed around distinct customer needs. The key lesson, Allen stressed, is that over-standardisation risks stripping out local relevance, diluting both shopper engagement and sales. Convenience thrives precisely because it resists a one-size-fits-all approach.

Taken together, the message from Birmingham was clear: while the sector faces formidable headwinds, it also holds powerful advantages. Rooted in community, trusted by customers and inherently adaptable, convenience retail remains uniquely placed to evolve with changing consumer needs. In that flexibility lies optimism and opportunity for the years ahead.