A motion to bar the major multiples from membership of the Association of Convenience Stores will be debated at its annual conference on May 17.
A week after Tesco arm T& S pulled out of the ACS, details of an egm before the conference have been sent to members.
ACS chief executive David Rae said: “The EGM will consider a motion put by the board of ACS. This motion will redefine in our constitution those companies who can become members. This motion will, if passed, prevent the major multiples being members of ACS through their c-store arms.”
Rae said the board’s decision reflected strong opinion within the membership that the ACS position on major industry issues could be compromised if the four largest largest multiples were members.“ACS is a democratic organisation, so it is for members to decide on this.”
Musgrave boss Eoin McGettigan and Spar UK MD Jerry Marwood said they were strongly in favour of the motion because of the conflicting interests between the multiples and most ACS members.
McGettigan told The Grocer: “Why would companies headed by peers and knights of the realm need a trade association to talk to government?”
Marwood said: “The only reason they could want to be members is to suck good ideas from people already working on an uneven playing field.”
But TM Retail trading director Paul Baxter said he opposed the motion. “ACS should be inclusive and is weaker without the major multiples. We should be able to work with them on areas of common interest.”
A week after Tesco arm T& S pulled out of the ACS, details of an egm before the conference have been sent to members.
ACS chief executive David Rae said: “The EGM will consider a motion put by the board of ACS. This motion will redefine in our constitution those companies who can become members. This motion will, if passed, prevent the major multiples being members of ACS through their c-store arms.”
Rae said the board’s decision reflected strong opinion within the membership that the ACS position on major industry issues could be compromised if the four largest largest multiples were members.“ACS is a democratic organisation, so it is for members to decide on this.”
Musgrave boss Eoin McGettigan and Spar UK MD Jerry Marwood said they were strongly in favour of the motion because of the conflicting interests between the multiples and most ACS members.
McGettigan told The Grocer: “Why would companies headed by peers and knights of the realm need a trade association to talk to government?”
Marwood said: “The only reason they could want to be members is to suck good ideas from people already working on an uneven playing field.”
But TM Retail trading director Paul Baxter said he opposed the motion. “ACS should be inclusive and is weaker without the major multiples. We should be able to work with them on areas of common interest.”
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