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Geoff said: “We are over the moon. Winning this award means so much to us. I owe a big thank you to our enthusiastic and energetic director Craig Taylor who has always looked to develop bigger business with greater profit. We’re now in a position to look at opening a second store near our local Comet and Currys. We feel ready to take on the big boys!”
Robert Chapman of Chapman’s Electricals, near Dudley, West Midlands received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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He said: “I was overwhelmed and astounded to receive this award. It was completely unexpected and a real honour to be recognised in this way.”
His sister, Mary, added: “Everyone at the company is delighted that Robert’s contribution and his long standing commitment to the industry has been acknowledged by those who know how dedicated he is to satellite technology in our area."
This is the second successive year that a retra member has received the Lifetime Achievement award. Last year Robin Farmer, from in C. Farmer Ltd, in Matlock, Derbyshire, scooped the coveted prize.
John Dingle of Fortuna in Jersey also celebrated on the night, having picked up the Astra HD Award.
retra President John Hutchinson said: “Congratulations to everyone who won an award on the night. It’s a fantastic achievement and I am delighted so many retra members have been recognised in this way.”
The Sky Independent Retailer Awards were held at the Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales on 13 September. They were launched in 2005 with the specific aim of rewarding achievement and promoting excellence among Sky’s network of authorised sales agents.
retra Supports Proposals to Ban Below-Cost Selling
21st September 2007
Conservative proposals to ban below-cost selling, bringing the UK in line with other European countries, has been warmly welcomed by leading electrical retailers’ association, retra.
The Quality of Life Policy Group’s report ‘Blueprint for a Green
Economy’ made the recommendation as part of plans to curb supermarket
dominance and support market diversity.
retra President, John Hutchinson, said: “This report highlights real
and pressing issues that independent retailers have battled with for a long
time”.
“Supermarkets continue to tighten their grip on the market and appear hell-bent on crushing the competition by whatever means necessary.”
At a time when the four largest supermarkets control 75 percent of the retail market, the report’s recommendations have not come minute too soon.
Robin Farmer, of C. Farmer Ltd in Matlock, Derbyshire, said: “Below-cost selling is uncompetitive and simply has to stop.
“You only have to look back to the Easter holidays to see this abhorrent practice in action. Tesco was selling Servis washing machines for less than £100, which was well below cost price.
“More recently Woolworths have been advertising a Sony 32” for £399, which other retailers cannot match.
“Though unsustainable over a long period, supermarkets consider a short-term loss to be a long-term gain. It’s just enough to undermine the market, entice more shoppers through their doors and put other retailers out of business.“
However, retra is less supportive of the report’s recommendations to allow local authorities to impose supermarket car parking charges.
John Hutchinson said: “We want to see positive incentives, which encourage
shoppers to visit small businesses, rather than parking charges that penalise
the consumer.”
To read the Quality of Life Policy Group’s full report, visit www.qualityoflifechallenge.com
CIH seeks dialogue with retra
20th September 2007
Forging closer links with retra is high on the agenda for buying group CIH, according to its Chief Executive Stuart Cook.
Speaking at the recent CIH Show, Stuart expressed his desire to explore ways of working closer together for the benefit of both sets of members.
He said: “By working more closely together, there are good opportunities for both organisations and their members. We share a lot of common ground and there is a lot we can do together.”
In particular, Stuart recognises the important role retra plays in lobbying Government on behalf of its members. He said: “Our members would love it for CIH and Euronics to represent them in that way.”
For retra President John Hutchinson, a closer relationship with CIH is the
way forward. He said: “It will be nice for the two organisations to work
together. There is a lot that both CIH and retra can bring to the party, which
will be good for each business.”
Free WEEE Seminars for Retailers
6th September 2007
A series of free seminars designed to help retailers better understand their WEEE responsibilities will take place around the country this September.
The sessions have been organised by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and will cover everything producers and retailers need to know to become legally compliant.
Recent studies suggest that 43 percent of producers remain unsure of their obligations while 70 percent of small businesses still do not know that the WEEE Directive exists.
The seminars come just weeks after a debate in the House of Commons revealed deep-seated concerns about the WEEE regulations. Dr Pugh MP (Southport, Lib Dem) exclaimed that “contractual uncertainty” and a “lack of clarity” is leading to the “collapse of many pre-existing arrangements and the rise of mutual suspicions among all elements of the network”.
Malcolm Wicks, Minister of State for Energy, responded by acknowledging that the system was not perfect, but insisted he was pleased with the way the scheme is running so far.
The WEEE Directive came into effect on 1 July and is designed to reduce the amount of electrical waste that goes to landfill. Retailers must now offer a free in-store take-back service on a like-for-like basis, or join the distributor take-back scheme, which funds improvements to local council recycling facilities.
For more information on your nearest WEEE seminar, visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/events
New retra Chief Executive Appointed
24th August 2007
| Bryan Lovewell has been appointed Chief Executive for the Radio, Electrical
and Television Retailers’ Association (retra).
Bryan will take up his new post on Monday 15 October. He joins retra from the Electrical and Electronic Industries Benevolent Association (EEIBA) where he worked as Appeals Director for almost a decade. Prior to this, he accrued over 25 years senior management experience within electrical retailing and manufacturing. He said: “It is a great honour and privilege to join retra.
The association is well respected and has been a leading light
in the electrical retailing industry for over 65 years. |
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“My role as Chief Executive will be to maintain the good work that retra is renowned for, while exploring new opportunities with retailers, manufacturers and other trade associations in order to strengthen retra’s position as the authority on independent electrical retailing issues.” retra President John Hutchinson added: “We are absolutely delighted that Bryan Lovewell has accepted the position of Chief Executive. He has a long established career within the industry and is held in high regard. We are confident that his breadth of knowledge and experience will stand retra in very good stead for the future. ” |
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If it wasn't for retra...
26th July 2007
retra makes front page news.
Valpak DTS scheme
6th July 2007
If you have joined the Valpak DTS scheme you must give your customers information
on where they can dispose of unwanted electrical goods (WEEE).
Click
here for a comprehensive list of local sites that will accept WEEE delivered
by customers.
Should you have any concerns or questions, please contact retra on 01234
269110.
Boost to members' site security
11th June 2007
Security on the members' area of the retra website has been boosted this month.
Members logging in to the site are now asked to provide a secret password in
addition to their membership number.
The move was prompted by concerns that site security had been breached by
non-members. They were alleged to have gained access to the members’ only
area using membership numbers displayed on official retra correspondence.
retra takes reports of any unauthorised use of members’ benefits very
seriously. Members are now asked to type in a secret password when they login
to the website. Should you have any concerns or questions, please contact retra
on 01234 269110.
Concerns Raised Over Appointed WEEE Enforcement Agency
22nd May 2007
The decision taken by Government to appoint the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) as the enforcer of retailer legal obligations under the Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, has been dubbed “strange and concerning” by leading electrical retailer’s body, retra.
The appointed Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) is an executive agency of the Department of Transport and is the UK’s national approval authority for new road and off-road vehicles.
Retra’s Chief Executive Mark Hayward, said: “The VCA is a very strange choice for this important role. The agency is inexperienced in the kind of enforcement role envisaged under the WEEE regulations.
“retra is concerned that the VCA may have been lumbered, because other better placed enforcement agencies could not be persuaded to take the job on.
“The VCA must quickly establish the direction it now intends to take
and identify exactly how it will exercise its enforcement role. Retailers who
have signed up to the Distributor Take-Back Scheme (DTS) will want to see credible,
efficient and robust enforcement of these obligations with a zero tolerance
of ‘free riding’.”
Annual Conference Highlights the Greatest Show in Town
3rd May 2007
Over 200 retailers, manufacturers and other industry representatives attended
the Annual Industry Conference, hosted by leading electrical retailers’ association
retra. The conference, billed as ‘The Greatest Show in Town’ took
place at the SAS Radisson hotel in London between 30 April and 1 May 2007.
A total of 12 speakers addressed a wide range of topics concerning today’s
electrical retail experience in the UK. Two key themes emerged. Firstly, exciting
market opportunities exist for focused and passionate independents; and secondly,
that the public must be educated about the growing range of products and service
available. For the independents who do this, electrical retail will continue
to be ‘the greatest show in town.’
Speaking on the subject of High Definition (HD), Andy Benson, Sony AV and
IT Commercial Director, explained that while customer awareness is high, understanding
is low. This means that many customers are unaware of the range of HD products
available, resulting in missed sales opportunities.
Similarly, Ford Ennals, Chief Executive for Digital UK, described the digital
switchover as “an opportunity for independents.” He pointed out
that 32 million TVs in the UK still need converting, adding: “customers
will be coming to you for advice and information.”
Two independent retailers also spoke at the conference, giving their own perspectives
on the industry. Bradford-based retra dealer Kully Johal, described the situation
as “a war out there”, and again emphasised that the key to survival
lay in the retailer’s ability to “emphasise their strengths, change
with the times and seize new opportunities.”
Reflecting on this year’s conference, retra’s President John Hutchinson
said: “It was fantastic to see so many retra members and manufacturers
attend this year. The Annual Industry Conference is an important and unique
opportunity for people in our industry to come together, listen to each other,
and learn more about what we all need to do to ensure a strong electrical retail
sector, with the independents at its heart.
“Whether we like it or not, the face of electrical retailing is changing.
Our future success depends on staying one step ahead of the game. Part of this
involves effective communication, both with one another, and with our customers.
“The retra conference is one such example of great communication. The
presentations were first class, and I am sure they will help better equip us
for the challenges that lie ahead.”
retra’s next conference will take place between 27 and 29 April 2008
at the Vila Sol Hotel in the Algarve, Portugal.
For more information, please contact Louise Lloyd-Jones, retra’s Communications
Executive, on 01234 269110 or email louise.lloyd-jones@retra.co.uk.
Independents Boost Support for WEEE Distributor Take-Back Scheme
23rd April 2007
The support of independent electrical retailers has helped secure the success
of a scheme that will offset the need to collect used electrical equipment.
To date, over 600 retra members have signed up to the Distributor Take-back
Scheme (DTS).
retra Chief Executive Mark Hayward said: “Here at retra we’ve
worked hard to ensure that independent retailers have the choice regarding
whether or not they take back customers’ old electrical and electronic
equipment.
“We are therefore delighted that the DTS is now launching to provide
a viable alternative to the in-store take-back, storage and disposal of customers’ old
electrical goods at point of sale.
“But,” said retra’s Hayward, “the real work now begins.
DTS operators Valpak WEEE Services Ltd and Government must work to ensure that
an adequate local WEEE collection network is put in place. Some DTS members
are based in rural areas, which do not have easy access to disposal facilities.
It is imperative that their needs are not overlooked.
“ It is also vital that DTS members receive clear in-store information
about the scheme and their legal obligations, which they can pass on to their
customers. retra will be pressing Valpak to ensure these issues are addressed.”
For more information about the DTS and how to join, please visit www.valpak.co.uk/weee, email info@valpak.co.uk or telephone 08450 682572.
Notes to Editors:1. retra is the UK's largest trade association for electrical and electronic retailers, and servicing organisations. The association provides specialist support and guidance to retailers while promoting their views to manufacturers, government and other organisations within the electrical retail industry.
2. Valpak Retail WEEE Services Ltd., a subsidiary of Valpak Ltd., was appointed to operate the distributor take back scheme on 4th December 2006. The UK WEEE regulations require that any distributor who sells electrical equipment play an active role in increasing the level of WEEE recycling by contributing toward the provision of collection mechanisms for the public to return WEEE for recycling and advertising these facilities to customers. Within the UK regulations, distributors will have two options, to offer in store take back for all products that they sell, or join the DTS, which will collect a fund of money that will be used to assist in the improvement of the UK WEEE collection infrastructure.
3. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment, by increasing re-use and recycling and reducing the amount of WEEE going to landfill. It seeks to achieve this by making producers responsible for financing the collection, treatment, and recovery of waste electrical equipment, and by obliging distributors to allow consumers to return their waste equipment free of charge. From 1 July 2007 all retailers will be required by law to subscribe to the DTS scheme or to provide their own free in-store take-back service.
For more information from retra please contact Louise Lloyd-Jones, Communications
Executive, on 01234 269110 or email louise.lloyd-jones@retra.co.uk.
Speaking up for Independent Electrical Retailers at the British Retail Consortium
19th April 2007
The newest member of the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Management Board will give a voice to independent electrical and electronic retailers countrywide.
retra Chief Executive Mark Hayward joined the Board last month. His appointment will enable him to influence decisions for the benefit of smaller, independent retailers.
Mark said: “I am absolutely delighted to accept the BRC’s invitation
to join its Management Board. With over 1,440 retra members operating from
2,400 retail outlets throughout the UK, it is vital that there is someone available
to argue their case on this influential platform.”
retra is the UK's largest trade association for electrical and electronic
retailers, and servicing organisations. The association provides specialist
support and guidance to retailers while promoting their views to manufacturers,
government and other organisations within the electrical retail industry.
Kevin Hawkins, Director General of the British Retail Consortium, said: “I
look forward to working with Mark Hayward in tackling the big issues which
currently face the retail industry as a whole. His appointment adds to the
extensive base of knowledge on the Board and will help maintain the BRC as
retail’s strongest unified voice.”
The BRC is the lead trade association representing the whole range of retailers,
from the large multiples and department stores through to independents. Mark
Hayward will meet with other members of the BRC’s Board four times a
year to discuss major policy issues and industry concerns.
For more information please contact Louise Lloyd-Jones, Communications Executive
for retra, on 01234 269110 or email louise.lloyd-jones@retra.co.uk
Leading Trade Association Welcomes New Communications Executive
Thursday 12 April 2007
Leading electrical retailers’ association retra is pleased to announce the appointment of Louise Lloyd-Jones as its new Communications Executive.
Louise joins retra following three years as the Press and PR Officer at the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. During this time she worked on several key awareness and fundraising campaigns, including John’s Journey, which has raised over £100,000 to date.
A former finalist of the Press Gazette’s national student journalism awards, Louise is an accomplished writer, with experience of writing features for women’s magazines and national newspapers.
Louise said: “It is a privilege to be joining retra as their Communications Executive. In this newly created post I have a broad remit with scope to develop new and exciting initiatives.
“I am particularly keen to increase retra’s profile among electrical retailers and their customers by promoting the many benefits this leading electrical retailers’ association has to offer.”
Mark Hayward, Chief Executive for retra, added: “We are delighted that Louise has chosen to bring her skills and experience to retra. She is a key member of our team who will be responsible for increasing public and industry awareness of retra’s work. This is an exciting new role and we are confident that Louise will rise to the challenges it presents.”
For more information please contact Louise Lloyd-Jones, Communications Executive
for retra, on 01234 269110 or email louise.lloyd-jones@retra.co.uk
Performing Rights Society (PRS)
27th March 2007
If you demonstrate to the public, customers, any equipment that is capable of reproducing recorded sound you will need to have a PRS licence.
This includes the demonstration of television receivers, set top boxes, satellite receivers, DVD players, CD players. You could claim exception if you used your own recordings, made by you with the permission of the artists and you never used "off air" transmissions, unlikely!.
The cost of the licence is calculated by assessing the square metre of demonstration area. If you sell white and brown goods then you only need calculate the area used to demonstrate brown goods.
It is not a legal requirement to have this licence; you are not breaking any laws or regulations if you do not have one. However, the PRS have the right to sue you, in a court of law for breech of copyright if you require a licence and do not have one.
Do not be intimidated by the staff at the PRS into providing details of your business or into paying by credit card over the phone unless you really want to. You should ask for more information and state that you only pay on production of an invoice from them.
If you feel threatened by them in any way - put the phone down.
If they persist, tell them that you will report them to the authorities for threatening behaviour and nuisance calls.
But remember - if you demonstrate any equipment capable of reproducing recorded material in any form, you do require a PRS licence.
Just to really cheer you up there is another licence that you may need, it's the Phonographic Performance Licence, (PPL). This is required if you demonstrate equipment that is capable of playing DVDs, CDs, Cassette or records but you do not need it if you only demonstrate equipment capable of reproducing material off air.
But wait till they contact you.
Lend Your Support to the "HD for All" Campaign
5th March 2007
The "HD for All" Campaign, which retra supports, is seeking to persuade the media regulator, Ofcom, not to sell off to the highest bidder the proportion of the spectrum that will be released after the switch off of analogue transmissions in the UK.
High Definition (HD) is not yet on the digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform. Ofcom's current stance, set out in its Digital Dividend Review (which ends 20 March 2007) risks creating "have" and "have nots" in the world of digital teleivsion.
Support the "HD for All" Campaign by using your own company letterhead to urge OfCom, Government and your MP to "think again". In particular, the "HD for All" is now looking for your MP to support an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons - EDM 944 "High Definition Television on Freeview".
Click here to download the "HD for All" campaign letter.
WEEE Regulations
5th February 2007
Regulations were laid before Parliament on 12 December 2006 to transpose the requirements of the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive into UK law. The Regulations came into force on 2 January 2007. Under these Regulations, with effect from 1 July 2007, WEEE retailers, as defined in the Regulations, will be obliged to either provide an in store WEEE Take Back Service for their customers or to offset this legal obligation by joining the Distributor Take Back Scheme. In joining the DTS, WEEE retailers contribute to a financial fund that will improve local authority-owned household waste re-cycling centres or other designated WEEE collection facilities. These sites will then form part of a national WEEE collection network.
retra, on behalf of its members, has negotiated a unique offer for retra retailers to join the Distributor Take Back Scheme.
Any retra retailer registering with Valpak, the DTS Operator, to join the DTS will, provided they do so by no later than 15 March 2007, be required to pay a one off fixed sum of £650 + VAT to cplmy with their legal WEEE obligations until at least December 2009.
Full details of this DT offer + members legal WEEE obligations were set out in a letter to members of 31 January 2007 (shown below).
Dear Member,
WEEE REGULATIONS retra Distributor Take-back Scheme (DTS) 'Offer' to members
Before Christmas 2006 Regulations were laid before Parliament to transpose the requirements of the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive into UK law. These Regulations came into force on the 2nd January 2007. I am now writing to advise you in connection with a) the legal obligations these Regulations place upon retra members; and b) an offer that retra has negotiated to enable its members to meet their legal obligations with a minimum of effort and worry - membership of the Distributor Take-Back Scheme (DTS) on favourable terms.
WEEE Regulations - Options for retra members
The WEEE Regulations aim to increase the collection and recycling rates of WEEE, and, as of 1st July 2007, will require any retailer who sells electrical/electronic equipment to play an active role in meeting this aim by providing collection mechanisms for the public to return WEEE for recycling and advertising these facilities to your customers. retra members will, as of 1 July 2007, be obliged either to provide an in-store WEEE take back service for their customers or to offset this obligation by joining the Distributor Take-Back Scheme (DTS) which will be operated by Valpak, the DTI appointed Scheme Operator. By joining the DTS, retra members will not have to set up and run their own in-store take back schemes. Instead they will contribute to a financial fund which will improve local authority-owned household waste recycling centres or other designated WEEE collection facilities. These sites will then form part of a national WEEE collection network.
For any retra member who decides NOT to join the DTS:
The enforcement agencies will assume that you will offer in-store collection of WEEE equipment from your customers. This includes all types of WEEE equipment that you sell - not just large/white goods.For any retra member who decides TO join the DTS:
WEEE equipment will need to be stored and transported to a treatment facility at your cost. In storing WEEE equipment, prior to transportation, you may also require the necessary waste licensing.
You will be subject to specific enforcement activity and prosecution if, at any point after 1 July 2007, you are found to be not offering like-for-like in-store take back for all WEEE equipment that you sell.
You will make a financial contribution instead of offering in-store take back, which will be used to assist in the development of WEEE collection facilities throughout the UK.Membership of the DTS - the retra negotiated offer
Collected funding will be passed to Local Government to enhance UK's WEEE collection infrastructure.
By making this contribution, you will NOT be required to offer in-store take back until at least December 2009.
On behalf of members retra has been heavily and directly involved in the past year in all the negotiations with Government regarding the implementation of the WEEE Directive in the UK, including the scope, funding and operation of the DTS. As a consequence of this involvement, and its negotiations with Valpak, the appointed DTS Operator, there is now an offer for you to join the DTS that is unique to retra members.
By registering directly with Valpak, the appointed DTS Operator, by no later than 15 March 2007 and by making a one-off, fixed sum payment of £650 + VAT you will comply with your legal WEEE obligations until at least December 2009.
How to register? In order to register you will need to log on to www.valpak.co.uk/dts and have your retra membership number to hand. Once you begin the registration process, you will find an option that will allow you to state that you are a member of retra. After entering your contact information, you will be able to submit your credit or debit card details and pay the appropriate fees. If you have any problems in the on-line registration process, you will be able to contact the DTS Operator, Valpak, directly on 08450 682572.
What are the benefits of joining the DTS?
You will be fully exempt from in-store take back and prosecution until at least December 2009.Issues surrounding in-store take back
You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your compliance to customers through the use of a national recycling brand that will be developed by Valpak. Valpak will also assist you by centrally delivering the recycling messages that all distributors are required to promote on behalf of its members through their brand - recycle-more.co.uk.
This material will be dual branded to demonstrate that you have complied through both retra and the DTS.
Scheme members will have full access to a telephone, e-mail and internet help line.
In addition, any large equipment that you may wish to collect as a customer service (for example, on delivery of a new product) can still be fed into the WEEE system and will be recycled at the cost of producer schemes.
By stating your retra membership number at the point of registration, you will be able to join the DTS at a discounted rate of £650 + VAT (a significant reduction on the expected fee of at least £750 + VAT that would be due if you chose to register directly) and, whilst you will be required to provide some information regarding the total value of your sales of EEE in 2006, you will not be required to provide details of your unit sales. This is being required of non-retra retailers who apply directly to Valpak for membership of the DTS.
It is for retra members to choose whether or not they wish, with effect from 1 July 2007, to either provide in-store take back or to offset their legal obligation to do so by joining the DTS. retra believes that there are risks - and some unknowns - associated with operating an in-store take back system. First, it is not known how burdensome in-store take back will prove to be because it cannot be predicted how the public will react to the introduction of new opportunities to recycle. Second, it is not known how co-operative producer schemes, (who will be responsible for onward treatment and recycling of collected WEEE equipment), will be in assisting with bulking and transportation issues. Third, the WEEE Regulations require those retailers who do collect WEEE equipment in-store to be responsible for transporting the equipment collected to the appropriate WEEE treatment facility. Depositing collected WEEE at the local council operated waste collection site will not be allowed. Fourthly, it should be remembered that there are no guarantees regarding the future costs of transporting WEEE. Finally, the DTI has stated that those retailers who offer in-store take back should assume that they will be subject to rigorous enforcement activity.
For the above reasons, retra believes that any member without sound commercial reasons for offering in-store take back would be well advised to avoid all of these risks/unknowns by joining the DTS, taking advantage of the offer that retra has negotiated.
Companies House - New Regulations
31st January 2007
From immediate effect companies that have a website or use e-mails or some other form of electronic communication must include their full company details. The details required are as follows:
Full Company Name
Full Postal address of the registered office
Company Registration Number
These must be clearly displayed on websites and any other from of electronic communication.
This is bringing what is already required on paper invoices and company notepaper to the world of electronics.
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Retra House · St
John's Terrace · 1 Ampthill Street · Bedford · MK42
9EY. Tel: +44 (0) 1234 269110 Fax : +44 (0) 1234 269609 Email: retra@retra.co.uk A United Kingdom registered company. Company No.374237 |
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