NEWS
18 APRIL 2025 ASIAN TRADER 7
NEWS
The media has dubbed this
month “Awful April” as
consumer price increases
taking efect, and with this
new tax year, retailers are
facing a perfect storm of cost
increases that threaten to
squeeze already tight margins.
Business rates are rising by a
staggering 140%, the National
Living Wage is increasing by
6.7%, and National Insurance
Contributions are also up.
Since these challenges were
announced, Bira has been
engaging with the govern-
ment, urging them to reconsid-
er policies and provide more
support. While our eforts have
not yet yielded change, we
remain undeterred. Most
recently, we submitted a
comprehensive response to the
business rates reform, again
emphasising how the proposals
fall short of addressing the
needs of indies.
While we continue to
campaign for policy changes at
the governmental level, there
are immediate steps you can
take to potentially reduce some
of the costs coming your way.
I strongly urge all members
to verify that your rates bill is
correct. You can do this easily
by visiting the government
website: https://www.gov.uk/
find-business-rates. The
process requires only your
postcode and is certainly worth
it as mistakes do occur. If you
find inaccuracies, contact your
local authority and valuation
ofce.
Some of you may see your NI
contributions decrease in the
new tax year. This is due to the
employers’ allowance for NICs
being increased from £5,000 to
£10,500. We believe that this
increase means that if you
employ fewer than 7 people,
you should pay less. It’s
certainly worth consulting
whoever manages your payroll
to ensure the full allowance is
being claimed.
With costs rising faster than
sales, the economic landscape
was challenging even before
these latest increases; the lack
of support in the Spring
Statement has only compound-
ed these issues.
At Bira, we are working to
ensure that “your voice” is
heard by government. As the
representative body for
independent retailers, we
continue to campaign on
critical issues including retail
crime, business rates, and
legislation.
Bira members can access our
free advice line service, Bira
Legal, in partnership with
WorkNest. This can provide
valuable guidance on navigat-
ing these challenging econom-
ic conditions.
Through Retra and the
wider Bira network, we will
continue to champion the
cause of independent shop-
keepers, focusing on revitalis-
ing and preserving the high
street.
Together, we form a
powerful collective voice for
independent retail in the UK.
While the Spring Statement
may not have delivered the
support we had hoped for, we
remain committed to fighting
for policies that recognise the
vital contribution of independ-
ent retailers to our economy
and communities.
In his regular column, Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre gives advice on
ow retailers can try to survive the government’s latest measures
April and Beyond – Practical Steps
April and Beyond – Practical Steps
for Independent Retailers
for Independent Retailers
Following the Spring Statement
Following the Spring Statement
SPAR UK reaches Marie
SPAR UK reaches Marie
Curie milestone
Curie milestone
SPAR UK is celebrating a major
achievement in its partnership with
Marie Curie, having now raised £4
million since 2017.
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading
end-of-life charity, providing
expert care and support for people
with any terminal illness and their
loved ones, with Marie Curie Nurses
carrying out vital work every day
and night.
Through a combination of
national campaigns, regional
fundraising, and supplier collabo-
rations, SPAR has made a signifi-
cant impact on the charity’s ability
to deliver essential end of life care
in communities across the UK.
ShopMate unveils
ShopMate unveils
c-store EPoS solution
c-store EPoS solution
ShopMate has introduced Shop-
Mate 360, a “streamlined and
affordable” EPoS system designed
for convenience retailers.
ShopMate said the new solution
ihas been developed with small
retailers in mind, ofering an easy-to-
use till interface that requires minimal
training. With an intuitive design, even
those new to retail technology can
quickly get up to speed, ensuring
smooth daily operations.
The system separates store
operations from business manage-
ment, allowing retailers to focus on
till functionality while still having
access to key back-office tools
such as product and category
management.
Co-op joins in Aldi price
Co-op joins in Aldi price
match race
match race
Co-op is stepping up the price war
in the convenience sector by rolling
out its version of the Aldi price
match pledge, which has been
adopted by several of the super-
market multiples in recent years.
Co-op is matching the discount-
er’s prices on over 100 everyday
essentials, including fresh fruit,
milk, eggs and bread.
However, the savings will only
be available to Co-op members, of
which there are currently six
million. And all of the items covered
by the offer will be Co-op own
brand lines.
By Andrew
Goodacre, CEO
of Bira (British
Independent
Retailers
Association)