The government plans to introduce measures on tobacco sales and crimes against retail staff, as announced in the King’s Speech.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be introduced which will prohibit anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 from legally buying tobacco products. There are also plans to limit the sale and marketing of vape products. A similar Bill had been put forward by the previous Government but was stopped due to the General Election.
Other planned legislation includes a ban on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children which had been part of Labour’s election manifesto. Restrictions on advertising of junk food to children will also be a priority.
There was also a focus on employee rights which would include banning exploitative zero hours contracts; strengthening in-work benefits such as statutory sick pay, parental leave and protection from unfair dismissal; making flexible working the default from day one for all workers; and establishing a single enforcement body known as the Fair Work Agency, to strengthen enforcement of workplace rights. The Government is also planning to remove the age bands for the National Living Wage and introduce a ‘genuine living wage’ that accounts for the cost of living.
The speech also contained plans to update the rules on product safety and weights and measures.
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman urged collaboration with the industry before implementation of any new legislation.
“There are a number of measures that retailers will have to change their stores and processes to accommodate, including those set out in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Employment Rights Bill and the Product Safety and Metrology Bill, as well as the plans to restrict the sale of energy drinks. It is essential that the Government works closely with the retail sector in this parliament to ensure that these measures can be introduced effectively, without the unintended consequence of delaying or reversing growth and investment by businesses.”
Under the Crime and Policing Bill, assaulting a retail worker will be deemed a separate offence. This Bill was in progress under the previous Government.
Read more on the Crime and Policing Bill here
There was some disappointment that business rates didn’t get addressed in the speech as expected.
Head of business rates at Colliers, John Webber, said the lack of action shows that the issue isn’t a priority.
“We are very disappointed that there has been no mention of business rates reform in the King’s Speech today since this indicates this is not a priority for the new government and goes against its pledge to abolish the tax and support the high street.
“After more than 30 years of mismanagement from successive governments, we now have a system with a multiplier at over 50p in the pound, which effectively means a 50% tax on property occupation, a complicated relief system with business rates deserts in some parts of the country and an appeal system that’s inefficient, lacking transparency and increasingly difficult for businesses to negotiate without an adviser. The current system is just not fit for purpose. This situation is unsustainable.”
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