association comment Saving the planet one step at a time
AMDEA chief executive Douglas Herbison charts the success of efforts to reduce the environmental impact of appliances
T
here is another round of Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulations for large white goods in the pipeline.
Defra’s Waste and Resources Strategy is proposing to review the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (among others) and impose a tax on plastic packaging. Sometimes it seems that our sector is at the forefront of the battle against climate change. So maybe it is worth taking a moment to consider a success story! A recent United Nations report has concluded that the ozone layer in the earth’s atmosphere is indeed recovering from the holes that were identified in the last century. This is something of a relief after a previous assessment suggested that progress had slowed. The ozone layer is essentially a giant
sunscreen, so scientists (and eventually even politicians) were alarmed when it became clear that the layer was thinning by far more than the
normal seasonal variations. The main cause was identified as man-made fluorinated gases, such as those used as refrigerants or insulation foam- blowing agents in fridge-freezers. The layer continued to thin, losing almost 10% by the late 1990s but, following a global international agreement to phase out the production and use of ozone- depleting substances such as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), it gradually began to recover. Concerted efforts were made to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives, including new gases with a lower global warming potential. The Montreal Protocol of 1987 was the first
ever international treaty to achieve global ratification. In 2016 the signatories also adopted the Kigala amendment, which will phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as well. In many parts of the world the HFCs that
were adopted as an alternative to HCFCs and CFCs are still used. But the EU took
a longer-term approach and such gases are not found in refrigeration appliances manufactured in Europe. They are however still used in heat pump tumble dryers and air conditioners, so the search for an even more environmentally friendly alternative has become a little more urgent. But the latest UN report concludes that it looks as if the Northern Hemisphere and mid- latitude ozone should recover completely by the 2030s, followed more slowly by the Southern Hemisphere and eventually the polar regions. So while we still have to worry about all the other ways in which we could reduce our impact on the planet, at least we did our bit to save the ozone layer! • AMDEA is the UK trade association for manufacturers of large and small domestic appliances. It has 35 member companies who between them manufacture over 100 brands
Retrachief executive Howard Saycell believes business rates news in the Autumn Budget is a step in the right direction, but further reform is required
T
he recent budget held at least some good news on business rates. For businesses with a rateable value of
£51k or less, there will be a saving of a third on business rates annually for two years. This was always in the government’s plans but has been brought forward to April 2019. We are still lobbying government over the unfair burden of this tax on the retail sector along with our friends at the BRC. This is a step in the right direction, but we still believe the whole tax needs radical reform and will continue the fight. We need a level playing field for both internet and bricks and mortar retailers and won’t rest until this is achieved. There is the start of a plan announced by the Chancellor but it’s some way off and may change if there is action on the international stage. Commentators are saying that, on balance, this has been a good budget for business owners. After much speculation there was no change to either Corporation Tax or Pensions.
20 |
www.innovativeelectricalretailing.co.uk
Making Tax Digital is going to be a big change and comes into force in April 2019. There was an article in the last edition of Alert by our accountants, Haines Watts. It generated a lot of interest with quite a few members completely unaware that this change was happening. We are repeating the article in the next edition of Alert, so members should look out for that coming through your letterbox. At Retra HQ, we have been working on a new training course for the safe installation of white goods. We were hoping to launch this in the autumn this year but, as ever with complex projects, it has taken a little bit longer than we thought. I’m pleased to say that this course will launch early next year. The training will be provided by NICEIC and will be a certified qualification. The course will be over three days and there will be a charge for this, although at this stage we don’t have the exact figure. We will be communicating all the details as soon as we have them.
My final year-end note is about the Retra
Conference which takes place next year in Coventry on March 26 at The Hilton By Doubletree Hotel. Our keynote speaker will be Helen Dickinson, head of the BRC. Other speakers booked are Nick Simon from GfK and Richard Hartigan from Google. Our host for the day will once again be Declan Curry. There will be a panel of retail experts and more announcements of speakers will follow in the coming weeks. We’ve moved it out of London following
feedback from the membership and the cost is £50 per delegate. This will include refreshments and lunch, so we believe it represents exceptional value for money. I very much hope that as many of you as possible will take the time to attend. Which leaves me just enough space to wish
all IER readers good Christmas business and a successful 2019. With Brexit looming, it is sure to be an interesting year!
December 2018 / January 2019
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
