Press Releases

A coalition of shopping centre, retail, fuel and convenience, pharmacy, security and cleaning industry groups has joined forces to launch a nation-wide ‘Be Kind in Retail’ campaign for the upcoming Christmas period, as part of an ongoing collaborative effort to combat alarming levels of abuse, violence and the use of weapons against workers. The coalition is comprised of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA), National Retail Association (NRA), Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL), Pharmacy Guild of Australia, and Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA). With a central message of ‘Kindness Never Goes Out of Style’, the SCCA, NRA, AACS, ASIAL, Pharmacy Guild and BSCAA are calling on the community to be kind to security guards, cleaners, retail and pharmacy staff, across the upcoming Christmas trading period. The new nation-wide campaign has gained increased urgency as anti-social behavior and crimein retail settings…

Australia’s peak body for convenience stores has welcomed the Victorian Government’s strict new tobacco licensing laws that will see huge fines dished out to any person – or business – caught selling tobacco unlicensed. Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO Theo Foukkare said the Allan Government’s tobacco licensing scheme, unveiled today, would send a strong message to dodgy operators currently selling illicit tobacco products in Victoria that they must shut up shop – and he called on all Members of Parliament to urgently support the laws. “These laws must pass immediately to allow authorities to try and get on top of Victoria’s illicit tobacco war that continues to put the lives of innocent people at risk. We urgently call on all MPs to not only support the laws, but to help get them through parliament before the sitting year ends,” Mr Foukkare said. He said the proposed strict licensing…

The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) and C&I Media have announced a new five-year strategic alliance to commence from 2026. AACS, the peak body for convenience retailing in Australia, and C&I Media, the leading media outlet representing the petrol and convenience industry, will co-locate their major annual events commencing from March 2026 in Sydney at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICC Sydney). This partnership will provide the ideal platform for retailers and suppliers to come together and hear from some of the leading minds in the P&C industry at AACS Connect, while also being able to showcase, discover, and learn new trends at the industry’s biggest trade show, the C&I Expo. Safa de Valois, Group Publisher of C&I Media, said this partnership is a game-changer for the petrol and convenience industry. “By aligning these events, we’re providing an unparalleled platform for knowledge sharing and innovation. Retailers and suppliers…

Retailers have welcomed a plan by the Federal Government to cut greedy debit card fees set by financial institutions, in a move that will save customers up to an estimated $4 billion in unnecessary surcharges each year. Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO Theo Foukkare said cutting fees would save Australians much needed money and stop retailers from being blamed for a cash grab driven by the banks. Any ban on surcharging would only be supported if the relevant reform to the payments system is implemented to slash card fees levied on retailers. “Retailers have seen their merchant fees explode over the last few years, while the profits of the big banks have continued to balloon. “While major retailers like Coles and Woolworths don’t apply surcharges because they are on strategic rates with the banks, small businesses are often forced to pass on the cost of the electronic payment…

Uncontrolled debit fees adding $12 to a school laptop, and $6.40 for a car service Canberra, 10 October 2024: A list of initiatives to reduce the cost of living were presented to the Government in Canberra today, aiming to slash the price of items purchased on billions of debit card payments at Aussie businesses, and significantly reduce surcharging. Independent Payments Forum (IPF) members joined co-founders Brad Kelly and Warwick Ponder to present the plan to Assistant Treasury, the Hon Stephen Jones, Small Business Minister, the Hon Julie Collins and fee campaigner Mr Jerome Laxale MP. IPF also met with Opposition shadow ministers and their advisers. The 10-point plan presented by the forum would significantly increase accountability and reduce the cost of debit card payments, which are by far the preferred retail payment method in Australia, accounting for 79% of card purchases, or almost 12 billion transactions a year. “Cost of…

At a busy tobacconist in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston, a constant flow of customers are walking through the front door and leaving with colourful packets of cigarettes in their hands. It is in stark contrast to the scene at three other tobacconists nearby — and there is one key reason for the difference. One of the customers, a 68-year-old man, walks out and reveals to 7.30 he’s bought 10 packets of illegal cigarettes for $150. The man doesn’t want to be identified but is happy to open his shopping bag and show us his purchase. At just $15 each, the packets are labelled “Manchester”, a brand of tobacco that can’t be bought legally in Australia. He says the same number of plain-packaged legal cigarettes would have cost him more than $300. Tobacco sales in freefall as illicit trade booms Industry data obtained by 7.30 indicates a third of the legal…