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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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Eco-friendly shops shortlisted in Best Small Shops competition!

Posted on in Business News

There is now only 1 week to go until the Best Small Shop in the UK for 2019 is announced at the reception in the House of Commons!

Over the last couple of weeks we have been introducing you to the fantastic shops that have been shortlisted and telling you about the wonderful ways in which they continuously help their communities and why they stood out to the judges.

These two shops stood out in particular due to their care for the environment and the ongoing sustainability of their shops. The Recycled Candle Company and The Naked Pantry New Forest go above and beyond to ensure their products are environmentally friendly while still maintaining excellent customer service!

The Recycled Candle Company 

The Recycled Candle Company, which moved into its new shop in Exeter in June this year, sells candles fragranced with its own bespoke scents created in collaboration with a UK-based French perfumier.

With the ever-increasing costs of commercial and non-commercial waste disposal, this shop collects scrap candle wax and takes it away to be recycled and given new life by melting it down, cleaning, dying, and scenting it.

The shop includes a space for candle-making workshops, guest classes or hot-desking, and customers who donate used candles receive a discount whilst the shop's loyalty card rewards returning customers. Last year the retailer initiated a Golden Ticket scheme with other local businesses; tickets were given to customers to use as payment against purchases in the run up to Christmas.

The Naked Pantry New Forest

At The Naked Pantry New Forest customers can bring their own containers to refill with all their kitchen pantry items, household cleaning products, personal care items, and toiletries.

The shop helps the local community reduce its waste by collecting several different waste streams for recycling by TerraCycle and donate all the proceeds to a local hospice. It is a collection point and event host for the local free school uniform swap organiser and has also signed up to be community leaders for becoming a plastic free town. The Naked Pantry is passionate about helping its community to become less dependent on plastic packaging and reducing food waste. 

For more information about The Recycled Candle Company and The Naked Pantry New Forest you can visit their pages in the Indie Retail Shop directory. Keep up to date with the Best Small Shops competition by following our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.

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