Tag Archives: Retra

RETRA BOARD PROPOSES CLOSURE

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Retra board proposes closure of the trade association – members will vote on next steps.

Retra has announced that its board has taken the decision to close the trade association, but, if a proposal goes ahead, Retra will be absorbed into BIRA (British Independent Retailers Association), which will create a new division dedicated to electrical retailers and repair agents.

The association says that the decision to close Retra, which represents independent electrical retailers, has been made with careful consideration by the board and it is intended that as part of BIRA, Retra will better serve the needs of its members in the ever-changing landscape of the electrical retailing industry.

BIRA is a bigger trade association than Retra and it will continue to provide the current Retra support with some additional enhanced services that are not currently offered. The current cost of BIRA membership is £205 per year, which is around half that of Retra membership. 

If the proposal goes ahead – a vote will be taken by Retra members at an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) on February 1 2024 at 11am to decide the outcome, Retra will pay the BIRA membership cost of the first year for its members, and any monies left in the Retra bank accounts will be returned to paid-up members. 

As part of the process, Retra’s insurance business, Retracare, will be sold. Although nothing has been formally signed, the board is discussing the sale of Retracare to Pacifica Group. Retra intends for the business to continue and Pacifica is committed to enhancing the range of services on offer. 

Commenting on the announcement, Retra CEO, Howard Saycell, said, “This decision has not been taken lightly. Every effort has been made to sustain the membership numbers, but sadly, the decline has continued and has accelerated.

Retra Uk

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Retra, the UK electrical retailing trade association, celebrated its 80 years of activity during the latest Retra Conference. The event saw the presence of a lot of guest speakers, including Amdea CEO, Paul Hide, Bsh CEO, Gunjan Srivastava, Chris Brook-Carter, CEO of the Retail Trust, and Martyn Allen, technical director of Electrical Safety First (ESF).

The “Challenge of Change” was the main theme of the conference, and involved some important hot topics such as retailing in the ‘new normal’, sustainability, direct selling and the future of the high street. Many manufacturers and their retail partners – said Paul Hide, Amdea CEO – have enjoyed record sales over the past two years and that is something that probably none of us would have predicted when we locked down for the first time two years ago. It is recognised that this strong growth cannot continue for ever. We must also face the 2022 realities of global supply disruptions, microchip and semiconductor shortages, inflationary price rises and record levels of squeeze on household disposable incomes.

In his opening keynote speech, Retra CEO, Howard Saycell, expressed his disappointment that electrical retailers weren’t classed as essential during the pandemic, but highlighted how Retra members had excelled themselves during the crisis. What was really encouraging during the whole pandemic was the creativity of the independents. When some of the big retailers closed their doors – some even stopped delivering and installing – our members stepped up to the plate – he said