Update: CIH/Euronics


Together we are stronger: why community matters for independent electrical retailers


IER catches up with Harry Kyriacou, CEO of Combined Independents (Holdings) Ltd (CIH), part of the Euronics international buying group


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IH and CIH members are attuned to the power of community.


Primarily, CIH members are family businesses


rooted in their local community. This is the foundation of their retailing success, giving them deep, meaningful connections with generations of customers and the local areas that they serve. Being part of the CIH family, with access to the brand equity of the Euronics name that is recognised and trusted across the UK, adds a significant layer of extra power and support. The strength of this Euronics community was clearly evident at our recent Showcase event held at the end of April in Birmingham. Showcase gave our members the


opportunity for valuable, face-to-face time with more than sixty leading brands and business partners. It provided them with the chance to see, touch, try out and ask questions about new products and innovations that they were seeing, many for the first time. Showcase was also the place for members to spend time with the brands they work with, meet new suppliers, build relationships and plan their range for the year ahead. No other buying group provides quite the same platform for its members, and the huge amount of positive feedback that we’ve received on Showcase 2026 demonstrates its unique and enduring value. More than this, Showcase is also the place


where the CIH board, staff, and I can connect with our members. I was delighted to host dedicated business forum sessions on each day, where we could have open dialogue between CIH members and the board of directors to answer questions and discuss opportunities. We also delivered a range of silent seminars at


Showcase to share insights into the mechanisms and benefits of new ventures, as well as our recently launched IndieCare solution. IndieCare is a great example of the broader support that CIH offers its members, designed


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to help build customer satisfaction and loyalty at a local level. It’s an initiative that offers a reliable insurance product to the consumer, backed by the trusted name, Domestic & General. IndieCare encourages repeat business by linking customers back to their local retailer for future purchases, repairs, and upgrades. It also ensures members can offer customers a simple and reliable way to protect their appliances against breakdown and accidental damage, with repairs and replacements managed by the Euronics’ network of service- providing agents. Supporting the relationships our members


have with their local communities is also reflected in wider recognition of Euronics as a trusted retail partner. For the third year running, we’ve been shortlisted for the Which? Retailer of the Year Award, reinforcing Euronics stores as the consumer destination for home appliances and consumer electronics. We’ve also achieved the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an exclusive seal of excellence recognising the consistent delivery of world-class customer experiences. Both Awards help build reputation and loyalty for the Euronics brand amongst customers. As part of the CIH buying group, members


receive all the advantages of these national scale initiatives while continuing to deliver the local, customer-led approach that is so fundamental to the consumer experience, and their continuing success. It’s a win-win. It’s why our members have more than 600 stores spread throughout the UK and why Euronics is the largest electrical buying group in Europe. We understand and value the strength of the CIH community, and it remains at the heart of everything we do. After a successful Showcase, we’re still not resting. We’ll continue our support for members through business networking and sharing, in the company of their peers and key suppliers, as well as for industry brands that


PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE Summer 2026


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Being part of the CIH family,


with access to the brand equity of the Euronics name that is recognised and trusted across the UK, adds a significant layer of extra power and support.


serve our community. More details coming very soon, so watch this space. Personally, I can’t wait!


• For more information about Euronics and CIH membership email: membership@ cihgroup.com.


Right: Harry Kyriacou CEO at CIH


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