Looking ahead in 2026 | New Year's Message from Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre

Hello,

I hope you all had a productive and enjoyable festive period. The start of the year is always an opportunity to look forward with new ideas, new plans and renewed enthusiasm. In the Chinese calendar, this year is the year of the ‘Fire Horse’ representing courage, passion, and change. These are characteristics that I have always identified with independent retailers, and I do not doubt that these characteristics will come to the fore as you navigate the opportunities presented this year.

Talking of opportunities, I urge you all to check out our preferred suppliers. They have all been chosen because they are quality products offering preferred rates to members. I can guarantee you will save money on business insurance, card processing, buying stock through Bira Direct, challenging business rates and much more. This is a time for New Year resolutions and please find time to check to see where you can save money.

Our most valuable and most used service is our legal helpline – available to all members as part of your membership. It is always busy and 2026 will busier than ever, as this year the new Employment Rights Bill will come into effect. This brings significant changes to employment laws, very much in favour of the employees. 2026 will see an end to zero hours, variable shifts could become the new contracted hours, and sick pay will be payable on the first day of employment. Plus, if you do end up in an employment tribunal, there will be no caps on the awards that may be given should you lose the case. You may not have used this service, but I believe it is the most important ‘insurance’ you will have this year. Members see this as a type of insurance against employment tribunal claims, employees issues, redundancy costs etc. As it comes free with you membership, it is the cheapest protection you can have, and this year you may well need it more than ever.

I am pretty sure that throughout the year we will hear even more about AI. Increasingly it is being used by businesses to reduce costs, improve marketing, improve productivity, etc. AI is something we will all need to consider. The good news is that it is technology that is readily available to everyone and does not require lots of money to use and implement it. This is a very different situation to when the internet first came along and disrupted retail and that is why I see it as a bigger opportunity for the independent retailer. Yes, the large companies will invest more into this technology, but the way AI works means that it is available to everyone. Bira will be introducing a new partner to you – an AI expert business that will help us all to take advantage of this opportunity.

Linked with the growing influence of technology, 2026 will continue the drive for personalisation within the retail sector. At this point I will jump on my soapbox and re-state my belief that every retailer should adopt a loyalty scheme. The hospitality world ahs been doing this for years; the ubiquitous stamp cards for a free drink. This shows that a loyalty scheme does not need to be complex, does not need a lot of investment and does not need to be reliant on technology. I am a fan of loyalty schemes because customers feel they are getting something for nothing and the scheme rewards loyalty. A scheme can also provide lots of valuable customer data which a retailer can use for more efficient and effective marketing. If you have not yet made any New Year's resolutions, then think about a loyalty scheme.

I really hope 2026 is s positive year. I'm delighted to say that in the first week of the year I have a meeting with the Business Minister, who is keen to hear about our concerns following the 2025 Budget. We have been rightly very critical of this Budget and the impact it will have on independents. Your voice has been heard through us by the Minister, and I will update you after the meeting. Hopefully we can achieve some positive changes. I will not give up hope!

Thank you.

Andrew