Press Releases - The Fed

ફેડ એ એસેક્સમાં ડેમ રેબેકા હેરિસ સાથે વધતા વ્યવસાયિક દરના બિલો પર ચર્ચા કરી

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) met with senior Conservative MP and Chief Whip, Dame Rebecca Harris, at Dans News in Thundersley in her Castle Point constituency of Essex, on Friday, March 6. During the meeting she discussed rising business taxes facing Fed members, including the shop’s owner, Hiren Patel.

The Fed team, which included political engagement coordinator Doug Oliver and member development executive Trevor Harper, highlighted the impact that business rate bills are likely to have on Mr Patel’s business next month when these are set to rise because of the revaluation in property values and a disappointing cut in the business rates multiplier for small retailers.

During the meeting they also talked about the impact of higher National Insurance Contributions and another above-inflation increase in the minimum wage, which also take effect next month, as well as changes in the pipeline as part of the Employment Rights Act which may make it harder to employ more staff.

Mr Patel said: “I was pleased to meet with Rebecca Harris and I explained that trading was hard at the moment and that a number of my bills are rising at the present time. As well as taxes, my business margins are impacted by rising prices from higher utility costs, especially energy costs.”

During the visit Dame Rebecca was shown the vast range of products and services that the shop sold – including parcels, packaging and dry cleaning, alongside traditional convenience products – but warned that the business was left vulnerable by the difficult political and regulatory environment.

Retail crime and the deposit return scheme (DRS) for recycling which is due to take effect in October 2027 were also discussed.

Dame Rebecca said: “It was useful for my work in Parliament and locally to understand how tough things are for small shops like Mr Patel’s. Whilst it was positive to hear that theft is less of a problem in this area than other parts of the country, this remains a concerning time for small shops and I look forward to collaborating with Mr Patel and the Fed on these important issues further in the future.”

The Generational Smoking Ban Takes A Step Closer

The Generational Smoking ban looks set to take effect next year after a challenge in the House of Lords was defeated. The ban will mean that all those born before 1st January 2009 will not be allowed to buy cigarettes.

The vote this week in the House of Lords was 246 votes to 78 against an amendment that would have raised the legal age for tobacco sales in England and Wales to 21. It was largely backed by Conservatives, alongside two Liberal Democrats.

The Fed has expressed concern in the past about the workability of the ban and has also said that an increase in the legal threshold to 21 would go a lot of the way to ensuring that youth tobacco is smoking curtailed.

The Fed is now focused on calling on Government to beef up resourcing for local authority trading standards – and other law enforcement measures with the Police and other Government agencies – to ensure that the ban does not lead to an increase in illicit trade.

Cut in commission for parcel handling labelled a ‘kick in the teeth’ for independent retailers

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) says Evri’s decision to reduce the commission on one of its ParcelShop categories is another blow to hard hit shop owners.

From April 5, parcels that are classified as ‘shop to shop’ will see the commission received by retailers go down from from 20p per parcel to 15p for drop-offs, and from 25p to 20p for shop to shop collections by store customers.

Shop to shop drop offs and collections are parcels that are delivered to one store before being collected by an Evri driver and taken to another store.

The Fed’s national deputy vice president Craig Etchells, who is also a ParcelShop agent, said: “At the moment, we do not know how many of our dropped off parcels are classed as shop to shop because it is not broken down on our invoice.

“The decision by Evri to cut the commission on these sorts of parcel could mean a significant reduction in earnings for retailers.

“There is just as much work to do for the retailer as with any other dropped off parcel, whether it is a customer to customer or return parcel, while it takes even longer to process colections.

“Such a big reduction in commission is yet another kick in the teeth for smaller retailers like me and many of our members.”

Scottish Government Writes to the Fed About Business Rates in Scotland

Scottish Government Minister, Ivan McKee MSP of the SNP, has written to the Fed’s President in Scotland, Mr Hussan Lal, with further information about changes affecting rates in Scotland following the Holyrood Budget which was set in January.

Ahead of the Budget earlier this year, Mr Lal called for Business Rates in Scotland to be controlled so as to benefit retailers, especially small shops like those owned by Fed members. It also called for rates to be aligned with those in England and with those in the Scottish hospitality sector.

Mr. Lal’s letter, ahead of the budget, said that “[In Scotland]…Many small shops are struggling because of rising costs including energy costs and Employers National Insurance Contributions and because many shoppers have less to spend given the current cost of living. Retail crime is also jeopardising the livelihood of many of our members. We understand that factors such as ENICs are a reserved issue but we call on the Scottish Government to take action on rates.”

Mr. McKee, who currently serves as Minister for Public Finance, stated that: “The Scottish Budget 2026-27, announced on 13 January, along with additional relief announced on 12 February, ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 7% lower in real terms measured by the Consumer Price Index than pre-COVID despite the number of properties on the valuation roll increasing in that time.

“It continues to support businesses and communities, ensuring the lowest Basic Property Rate since 2018-19 and offering a package of reliefs estimated to be worth over £870 million, in 2026-27. The Budget offers more than £320 million of support through transitional relief schemes and retail hospitality and leisure relief over the next three years.”

Commenting, Mr Lal said: “The Fed was grateful for the Scottish Government’s response and noted some positive measures in the Budget for Scottish retailers, as we lobbied for.

Nonetheless, this clearly remains a challenging time for Scottish convenience retailers and we are continuing to lobby senior political figures across the political spectrum so they understand the challenges we face.”

Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey meets with senior Fed member in Salford

Rebecca Long-Bailey and Priyesh Vekaria

Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey met with a senior member of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) in her Salford constituency on Friday, February 27 to discuss the challenges his business faces and the steps the government can take to support him.

Ms Long-Bailey has represented the Salford area of Manchester since 2015 and was pleased to meet with Mr Vekaria again after having had contact with him and his family on previous occasions over her years representing the area.

Mr Vekaria is a senior member of the Fed, currently serving as vice president of its North West district, and he has spoken to the national media in the past about the challenges faced by small shops, particularly rising retail crime.

Mr Vekaria highlighted some of the measures he has taken recently at his One Stop store to partially control the challenge of rising theft and was able to show his MP age verification and AI features linked to his CCTV to better identify potential threats.

However, he also emphasised the vital role his shop plays in providing essential products to the heart of his community and the trust factor which enables him to work with people in the local community when anti-social behaviour might occur.

During the meeting, Mr Vekaria also spoke about the challenge of rising business rates bills and Ms Long-Bailey said she was open to new perspectives that might help businesses reduce their costs.

He shared ideas for reform, which would level the playing field between online retailers and brick and mortar shops, which would benefit many of the latter who are shortly likely to face escalating bills after the November 2025 Budget and the forthcoming Business Rates Bill Revaluation in April 2026.

Mr Vekaria also identified oncoming regulatory challenges – particularly those linked to Tobacco and Vape licences. While he said that the Fed was not necessarily opposed to all these measures, it was important that the independent retail sector was supported by clear guidance from government, and genuine support from local authority trading standards.

Ms Long-Bailey said: “I have met with Mr Vekaria’s family over the years, so it was invaluable for me to catch-up with Priyesh and discuss the valuable services he provides his customers and the people in his part of Salford. I look forward to working with him further in the future regarding the issues we discussed – as well as with the Federation of Independent Retailers in Parliament.”

Mr Vekaria added: “It was a very positive meeting indeed and I would like to thank Rebecca for her clear interest. The Fed and I will continue to work with her to raise the challenges we face in terms of rising commercial and government costs – as well as the ongoing retail crime challenge and more. I look forward to seeing her in the shop again soon!”

PayPoint fee increase expected but disappointing, says the Fed

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) says it is disappointed by PayPoint’s decision to increase monthly fees, while recognising that the rise was expected in the current economic climate.

From 1 April, retailers using PayPoint will see their monthly fees rise by 3.8%, in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI).

The Fed says it remains concerned about the cumulative impact of rising costs on independent retailers and has made those concerns clear on behalf of its members.

However, it is also encouraging retailers to make the most of the income generating opportunities available through PayPoint to help offset the increase.

Fed National President Hetal Patel said: “Any increase in costs is disappointing, particularly at a time when independent retailers continue to face intense pressure from rising overheads, and we have raised these concerns on behalf of our members.

“At the same time, we strongly encourage retailers to ensure they are fully maximising the opportunities that PayPoint can bring to their businesses. The Health Check we launched with PayPoint a few years ago to help members to find the right opportunities to earn more in their stores saw thousands of retailers increase their revenue.”

Any member who has yet to take advantage of an instore Health Check with PayPoint’s retail relationship managers to learn more about its initiatives and services and the profit opportunities they offer should email healthcheck@paypoint.com.

In a letter to retailers announcing the fee increase, PayPoint’s customer experience director Ben Ford said: “It’s clear to us that our retailer partners are critical to our success, and we remain committed to supporting you, your business and your customers.”

The Fed in Parliament to Back Calls for Greater Transparency to Help Control High Energy Costs for Business

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) has backed the campaign led by Sarah Edwards, Labour MP for Tamworth, to boost competitiveness in the business energy market at the launch of the “Trust and Transparency Energy Charter” in Parliament on Wednesday 25th February.

During the event, Fed member and South East London Independent Retailer Kaual Patel spoke to an audience of MPs, retail and hospitality representatives and figures from the energy industry about the negative impact of high costs for small shops like his.

Sarah Edwards MP said that “Trust in the business energy market depends on customers being able to see who is committed to doing the right thing. This charter creates an important signpost for businesses seeking transparent, customer-focused brokers and suppliers.”

The Fed collaborated in the event with a range of stakeholders across retail, hospitality, the energy sector and more – with the Charter being signed by figures from the Startup Coalition, BRC, ACS, BIRA, FSB, UK Hospitality, and more. After speaking on behalf of retailers, Mr. Patel signed the Charter on behalf of the Fed and thousands of members across the country.

In his speech, Mr. Patel said that: “Our convenience stores play an important economic and social role as visible retailers at the heart of their communities, but rising energy bills are a growing concern, because they are energy intensive, often requiring 24-hour refrigeration… the way energy companies impose bills means that things are often skewed against small business, particularly shops. Ultimately, high energy costs impact the sustainability of thousands of businesses like mine and our ability to employ the many staff that the economy relies on”

More specifically, the Charter calls for:

Standardised, upfront disclosure of the full cost of electricity
Clear, enforceable rules on sales and pricing
Simple switching and genuine supplier choice
Stronger protections for SMEs
Secure access to energy data to drive innovation

As well as Sarah Edwards, the Fed met with other MPs including Jim Shannon who the Fed recently met at Comber in Northern Ireland, Joshua Reynolds MP who recently met with the Fed’s National President Hetal Patel and Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson, Sarah Olney MP who the Liberal Democrats recently discussed retail crime with.

The Fed to Organise Home News Delivery Month 2026

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) has confirmed it will organise Home News Delivery Month (HND Month) 2026, marking the fourth year of the industry-wide campaign.

The campaign will once again run throughout October, a key trading period for home news delivery as darker mornings and seasonal habits drive increased demand. HND Month celebrates the essential role independent retailers play in delivering newspapers and magazines directly into homes and supporting local communities across the UK.

HND Month was first organised by the Daily Mail for its initial two years, followed by Reach last year. The Fed, which has played a major role in the campaign since its inception, will now take the lead in delivering the 2026 programme.

Paul Jenkins, Regional Head of Circulation, Home Delivery and Subscriptions at Reach plc, said: “Reach was delighted to manage and lead HND Month 2025. As we pass the baton to the Fed for HND Month 2026, we believe it is a great opportunity for the Fed to further develop this exciting industry-wide initiative and we look forward to supporting their team in 2026.”

Registration for HND Month 2026 will open in April 2026, with the Fed aiming to increase participation across the industry. For the first time, magazine publishers will also be invited to get involved, broadening the campaign’s reach and strengthening support for home delivery services.

The popular Daily Prize Draw will return throughout October 2026, alongside a range of additional prizes and retailer incentives, with full details to be announced in due course.

Brian Murphy, news and operations director, said: “The Federation has played a major role in HND Month since its inception and we are extremely pleased and excited to take our turn in organising it.

“HND has been available since printing began, and throughout October we will be making sure it is both celebrated and embraced. Consumers know how special it is to have their regular read delivered straight to their homes and, through publisher offers and striking in-store theatre, we urge all retailers and print operators to commit to making HND Month grow.”

The day-to-day organisation of HND Month 2026 will be led by Andrew Williamson, news category manager at the Fed, who will work closely with publishers, wholesalers and retail partners to deliver the campaign and grow participation across the industry.

For more information about HND Month 2026, including partnership opportunities, please contact Andrew Williamson at andrew.williamson@nfrn.org.uk or 07788585043.

Shoplifting continues to rise in Scotland

Independent retailers in Scotland are calling for more action from the government and police to tackle the continuing surge in the number of cases of shoplifting.

Recorded crime figures released this week by the Scottish government revealed that shoplifting increased by 15% compared to the previous year (from 43,556 to 50,300 crimes) and increased by 137% from the year ending December 2021 (from 21,234).

However, the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) maintains that the actual numbers are much higher, as many incidents go unreported due the level of response from the police and failure by the courts to take tougher action against offenders.

The Fed is calling on politicians, police, and the courts to take retail crime seriously and ensure independent retailers receive the protection they urgently need.

National President Hetal Patel said: “These figures are shocking but sadly not surprising to our members, who see stock vanish from their shelves on a daily basis.

“Shop theft is not a victimless crime, it pushes up prices for honest customers, undermines small businesses, and places staff in danger.

“A 137 per cent rise over just four years threatens the very survival of many independent shops, and it’s no wonder so many are closing.”

The Fed’s Scottish president Hussan Lal said: “While we are pleased that the Police Scotland scheme to tackle retail crime has been extended, we will continue to call for the Scottish government to back small independent retailers through targeted grants to improve security in our stores.

“I would urge all parties to include this and other measures to combat retail crime in their manifestoes ahead of the elections in May.”

Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz hears of the challenges facing independent retailers

The multitude of challenges facing small shops were discussed when senior members of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) met with their local Senedd Member on Friday, February 20.

Pembrokeshire retailers Vince and Fiona Malone had invited Conservative Samuel Kurtz to visit their Tenby store ahead of the Welsh Parliament’s May elections.

Samuel Kurtz MS has represented the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire seat since 2021 and will be contesting the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency in May’s election, which will see the Senedd dramatically increase in size from 60 to 96 members and be fully elected by a proportional representation system.

During the meeting, the couple explained how they had expanded their retail and Post Office business to employ 14 people compared to three when they started in 2014. However, this has been threatened by rising business costs, particularly rising business rates bills which are set to take effect in April, as well as higher employer National Insurance Contributions and an above-inflation increase in the national living wage.

The pair discussed the Fed’s manifesto for the Welsh election which focuses on these rising costs as well as calling for action to tackle retail crime and ensuring that DRS for recycling is cost-neutral and does not scope in glass, so that it fully aligned with the rest of the UK and is not overly complex.

During the meeting, Mr Malone spoke about the Fed’s support for DRS – which could cut litter and significantly improve recycling rates if done correctly – but was jeopardised by uncertainty on this from the current Welsh government.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Kurtz said: “I really valued the opportunity to catch-up with Vince as his experience and knowledge of retail and how it intersects with the political world is second to none. I look forward to working with Vince in the run up to the election and sharing the key messages outlined in the Fed’s manifesto after it.”

Mr Malone said: “The Fed and I have written to every candidate standing in the new constituency my business is located in, and I look forward to welcoming the representatives of the other political parties soon.”

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