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Independent retailers demand equal treatment as Government prepares pub rates relief

9 Jan 2026

ACT parent company Bira has has demanded equal treatment for small shops after the government announced plans to water down business rate rises for pubs.
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Christmas and New Year message from ACT Director Jonathan Harrison

23 Dec 2025

An end of year message from Jonathan Harrison, Director of the ACT.
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Scottish Government urged to cut business rates for indie retailers

11 Dec 2025

ACT parent company Bira has called on the Scottish Government to follow Wales's example and introduce genuine business rates reductions for retail premises ahead of the Scottish Budget on 13... Read more…

Independent retailers to see rates bills soar by up to 15% despite government's "transformation" promises

2 Dec 2025

Independent retailers across the UK are facing business rates increases of up to 15% next year despite government promises of the "lowest tax rates since 1991", ACT parent company Bira has... Read more…

UK's E-Bike Positive campaign to be adopted by the BA & ACT

1 Dec 2025

As of Thursday 1st January 2026, the E-Bike Positive campaign will fall under the joint guardianship of the Bicycle Association (BA) and the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT).
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Cycle to work scheme escapes cap but ACT warns Budget fails cycle retailers on business rates and imports

26 Nov 2025

The ACT has welcomed the Government's decision not to impose a cap on the cycle to work scheme, calling it "common sense prevailing" after weeks of speculation threatened a vital sales tool for... Read more…

Independent retailers reject Black Friday as three-quarters refuse to participate

24 Nov 2025

More than three-quarters of independent retailers, including some of those in the cycling retail sector, are boycotting Black Friday this year, rejecting pressure... Read more…

Stop being a dumping ground for used e-bike batteries

11 Nov 2025

Used e-bike batteries are piling up because too many suppliers are failing to meet their legal obligations and it’s time to stop being polite about it, writes ACT Director Jonathan... Read more…

Independent retailers urge Chancellor - Boost business confidence or risk killing growth before it starts

7 Nov 2025

Britain's independent retailers, including those in the cycling retail sector, are calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to use the autumn budget to restore... Read more…

Independent retailers report worsening retail crime crisis as confidence in police response

17 Oct 2025

A shocking 83% of independent retailers say theft has worsened over the past year, whilst the vast majority of crimes now go unreported due to lack of police response, according to ACT parent... Read more…

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Book sales set for new record

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The UK’s love affair with reading, rekindled during pandemic lockdowns, shows little sign of abating with almost £1 billion being spent on paperbacks and hardbacks already this year. Sales are up slightly on the record-breaking 2021 with hopes that the upward trend will continue.

According to industry tracker Nielsen, Britons had spent £945 million on 113 million books by August 13.

Non-fiction sales have fallen behind last year as Britons turn to paperback fiction for their summer holidays. Current bestsellers including the romance It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover and Richard Osman's second book, The Man Who Died Twice.

While an estimated two-thirds of people in the UK read in their spare time, industry insiders worried that the introduction of e-readers such as Kindles a decade ago would kill off the print industry. But book sales rose in the UK during the pandemic to their highest levels since 2012.

The Publishers Association said the UK industry's total income hit a record high of £6.7 billion.

The social media platform TikTok is also helping younger readers discover books and has been identified as a key driver of print sales.

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