RETAIL INSIGHT W
hen we talk about cost pressures facing independent retailers, the conversation usually focuses on
business rates, energy bills, wages, and retail crime. But there’s another cost that catches retailers out regularly, and many shop owners don’t even realise it exists. I’m talking about music licensing – a hidden
cost that can blindside even the most careful business owner. If you’re playing music in a commercial
space – and that includes every fashion store – you need a music licence from PRS and PPL. It doesn’t matter if it’s the radio, a CD, or a streaming service. If customers can hear it, you technically need a licence.
The complexities of licensing The licensing landscape is bewilderingly complex. There are around 60 different tariffs depending on the type of business you run, the size of your space, your equipment, and a dozen other variables.
A small independent boutique pays
differently to a larger fashion retailer, which pays differently to a leisure facility. Work it out yourself? Good luck. Most retailers can’t, and that’s by design – the system is deliberately opaque. Then there’s enforcement. PRS and PPL have
become increasingly aggressive in tracking down retailers without licences, and the consequences are severe. If you’re caught playing music without a licence, you face a 50 per cent premium on top of whatever the standard costs would have been. Add in late payment fees, and the bill can spiral quickly. We’ve had retailers tell us stories of £700 demands for single shops, escalating into thousands of pounds, with aggressive letters and even staff being confronted in-store. This is where things get really unfair. A new
fashion retailer, setting up their shop for the first time, might not even know a licence is required. They’re focused on stock, staffing, getting the doors open. Music licensing isn’t on their radar. Then one day a letter arrives, demanding
payment for months they didn’t even know they were liable. We’ve seen retailers penalised for things they didn’t know they were doing wrong.
An unknown alternative But here’s the thing: there’s an alternative that many retailers don’t know about. Royalty- free music designed specifically for retail environments. It’s not cheap, but it’s significantly cheaper than traditional licensing and crucially, it removes the whole minefield of compliance. That’s precisely why we’ve just released an
episode of our podcast ‘High Street Matters’ dedicated entirely to this issue. We spoke with Grant Thompson from Background Sounds, who’s been supporting approaching 1,000 retailers across the UK with royalty-free music solutions. They offer 67,000 tracks across dozens of playlists, updated regularly, all accessible via a
30 • FOOTWEAR & FASHION TODAY • AUGUST 2026
THE HIDDEN COST CATCHING RETAILERS OUT – AND HOW TO AVOID IT
This month, Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, explains why music licensing deserves a place on every fashion retailer’s checklist – and what many store owners don’t realise they need to know.
simple streaming platform. Retailers tell us their customers actually prefer it – it’s curated, it’s inoffensive, it creates the kind of contemporary vibe that fashion retail demands. The cost saving is real, but there’s something
else that matters just as much: peace of mind. You know you’re compliant. You’re not exposed to enforcement action. You’re not going to wake up to a threatening letter from PRS and PPL. So, here’s my advice. If you’re running a
fashion business and you have music playing in your shop, do yourself a favour: put music licensing on your checklist right now. Don’t wait until you get caught out. Understand your obligations, explore your
options, and make an informed decision. If you go the traditional route with PRS and PPL, that’s fine – just know what you’re signing up to. If you go the royalty-free route, you’ll probably save money and definitely save stress. For Bira members, there’s an additional
incentive. We’ve negotiated a special discount with Background Sounds, making the royalty- free option even more cost-effective. It’s the kind of collective buying power that membership delivers – access to better deals
that individual retailers couldn’t get alone. You can find the full podcast episode by searching for ‘High Street Matters Bira’ online.
Andrew Goodacre is the CEO of Bira, the British Independent Retailers Association, which works with over 6,000 independent retailers across the UK including fashion boutiques, footwear retailers and giftware stores.
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