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Small Business Strategy Inquiry 2025 - ACT and Bira call for members to share their voice

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on... Read more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

18 Jun 2025

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.
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Bira welcomes Wales' business rates proposals but calls for key improvements

11 Jun 2025

Bira has welcomed the Welsh Government's consultation on business rate reforms for retail shops, whilst calling for significant improvements to ensure the proposals truly support high street... Read more…

New awards launch to champion Britain's independent high street heroes

9 Jun 2025

Retailers on Britain's high streets are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the first-ever Love Your High Street Awards, designed to celebrate the small businesses that bring... Read more…

"Tectonic shift" in employment law threatens independent retailer viability, warns Bira podcast

6 Jun 2025

Independent retailers are facing a "generational" transformation of employment law that could fundamentally change how small businesses operate, according to the final episode of Bira's first... Read more…

Retailers hope warm weather and bank holidays will boost high street sales

16 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said that members are hopeful the warm weather, Easter weekend and upcoming bank holidays will provide a much-needed boost to high street sales.
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Economic growth surges to 0.7%, but "April reality check" looms for high street retailers

15 May 2025

UK economy delivers strongest quarterly performance in a year despite forecasts of business downturn.
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Communities come together for Local Bike Shop Day 2025 celebrations

13 May 2025

Local Bike Shop Day 2025 brought a wave of... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira welcomes Bank of England's latest interest rate cut

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira responds to Beales' "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" as iconic store makes final protest

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow... Read more…

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IRC backs ‘Colour Friday’ alternative to Black Friday sales

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

The IRC has joined bira and other retail trade associations in backing the ‘Colour Friday’ alternative to this week’s Back Friday sales.

The ‘Colour Friday’ initiative was first orchestrated by the UK Ambassador for Creative Small Businesses, Holly Tucker MBE, as a way of encouraging people to choose shopping at small independent businesses over impulse buying from big online retail giants in the annual ‘Black Friday’ sales. At the time of writing, nearly 2,800 small businesses and consumers have listed their support.

Colour Friday

It goes without saying that the pressure to participate in Black Friday affects independent retailers across the UK. The expectation to offer Black Friday discounts are high, but the incentives can be low with the current rises in inflation and energy prices.

On her website, Holly mentions that:

·       In a recent poll, half of UK small business owners said they’re genuinely concerned that this will be their last Christmas trading.

·       Carbon emissions generated from Black Friday online sales alone are equivalent to 215 flights from London to Sydney?

·       89% of shoppers reported finding Black Friday highly stressful?

·       A quarter of Brits surveyed said they regretted their Christmas Black Friday buys.

bira recently conducted a survey asking its members to share their thoughts on Black Friday, and whether they knew of any alternatives. A resounding majority told them no, so, like bira, the IRC wanted to bring attention to a different initiative you can take part in.

You can find out more here.

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