Update: Retra Fighting for Fairer Competition
Above: Jeff Moody , Commercial Director of Retra and Chief Commercial Offi cer of Bira
T
hat’s where Retra comes in. Our directors have been working together
these past few months to make sure your voice is heard where it matters - in government, with regulators, and with the organisations that set the rules you have to operate under. I want to share what that work looks like, because it’s easy to assume nothing is happening when you don’t see immediate results. But behind the scenes, progress is being made. In recent weeks, Andrew Goodacre our CEO sat in a roundtable discussion with the Chancellor, focused on revitalising high streets across Britain. This was a productive meeting, and as a result, Bira is now part of the government team reviewing high street developments. What does that mean for you? It means when policies are being shaped that will aff ect electrical retailers on the high street, we’re in the room infl uencing those decisions before they’re set in stone. We’re not outside shouting to be heard - we’re inside, making the case for independent businesses. This access doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens because Retra, as part of the Bira Group, represents thousands of independent retailers across multiple sectors. That scale gives us credibility and clout. Politicians and civil servants take meetings with us because they know we’re not speaking for a handful of businesses - we’re speaking for an entire sector of the economy. One of the battles we’ve been fi ghting hardest
is retail crime. The statistics remain deeply concerning, but there are signs we’re making progress. Crime levels appear to be levelling off , and crucially, police forces have been more responsive to reports from retailers. For electrical retailers dealing with shoplifting, organised theft of high-value items, and aggressive behaviour from customers, this matters enormously. This didn’t happen spontaneously. It happened because we’ve been relentless in pushing this issue with the Home Offi ce and with police forces across the country. We’ve provided evidence, shared member experiences, and refused to let the issue drop off the agenda.
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www.ierdaily.co.uk
When you’re running an independent electrical retail business, it’s easy to feel like the deck is stacked against you. Cheap Online marketplaces selling making in-roads to the UK Market with many non-compliant products with no consequences. Costs rising while margins shrink. It’s relentless, and some days it feels like nobody in Govt understands or cares.
There’s still much more to be done, and we’re continuing to work hard to bring more support to high street communities, but the direction of travel is fi nally moving the right way. Then there’s the issue that impacts all retailers:
the duty-free loophole for imports valued at less than £135. This policy gives overseas sellers an enormous competitive advantage over British businesses who pay their taxes and follow the rules. You’re competing against products that come in without duty, often from suppliers who aren’t registered for VAT, aren’t subject to UK product safety regulations, and face no consequences when things go wrong. For electrical retailers, this is particularly
damaging in the accessory and SDA categories. Cheap electrical goods fl ooding in from overseas marketplaces undercut your prices while often failing basic safety standards. You’re following the rules, ensuring products are compliant, standing behind what you sell - and you’re being punished for it by a tax system that rewards your competitors for doing the opposite. RETRA is leading the campaign to close this loophole. We’re not doing it alone - we’re working with large retailers and online marketplaces who recognise this isn’t sustainable. When we speak on this issue, we’re speaking for a coalition that spans the entire retail sector. That’s how you create change. That’s how you get politicians to listen and act. In April the PSR (Payments System Regulator)
PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
and FCA asked me to host a retail forum on Card payments, and retailers concerns on rising costs and the lack of transparency associated with taking card payments. The regulator has listened and is taking our concerns into the next phase of legislation on Card Acceptance. We have a seat on the PSR panel and have ben invited to join the Bank of England’s Payments End User Forum. None of this work is possible without membership. Every electrical retailer who joins Retra adds weight to our voice. Every membership fee funds the staff who research policy, write submissions, meet with MPs, and keep these campaigns moving forward. Every member who responds to our surveys, shares their experience of crime or unfair competition, or forwards our campaigns to their MP makes our case stronger. I know membership feels like another cost at a time when every penny counts. But this is an investment in levelling the playing fi eld. You can’t get a meeting with the Chancellor alone. You can’t infl uence Home Offi ce policy on retail crime alone. You can’t build a cross- industry coalition to fi x the Rates system alone. But collectively, through Retra, you can do all of these things. Independent electrical retail faces relentless
pressure. But you’re not facing it alone. Andrew and I are fi ghting for you every single day - in meetings with ministers, in submissions to government consultations, in conversations with regulators and police forces. That work doesn’t always make headlines, but it’s happening, and it’s making a diff erence. Your membership makes that possible. Your
voice makes us stronger. Together, we can create the fairer, more competitive market that independent electrical retailers deserve.
Summer 2026
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