BRUSSELS – 4 December 2018: Independent Retail Europe is convinced that new EU rules on Business to Business Unfair Trading Practices in the Food Supply Chain will create serious distortions and unfairness in the food supply chain in Europe. The new rules are likely to be agreed this week. (Full press release here)

Digital technology is sparking a major transformation in retail. Embracing and driving innovation offers a major challenge and a key opportunity for retailers. The four major European retail associations, EuroCommerce, Euro Coop, European Retail Round Table (ERRT) and Independent Retail Europe, made “Innovation and how to drive it” the central theme of their first European Retail Day in Brussels.

The Governance Group of the Supply Chain Initiative (SCI) is proud to announce the appointment of Michael Hutchings as its Independent Chair. This is a decisive step in strengthening the governance and impartiality of the Initiative, following up on a commitment made at the High-Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain last year. Mr Hutchings will bring enhanced impartiality and a keen eye to the work of the Initiative. He will help strengthen the dispute resolution mechanism, to make it work even better for all players in the supply chain.

The press release is available here.

The inaugural European Retail Day on 30 November in Brussels aims to discuss major transformations, challenges and opportunities affecting the retail sector in Europe.

At this year’s annual conference, Independent Retail Europe members discussed the digital progress as well as the transformation of the European retail sector and their impact on groups of independent retailers with Claire Bury from DG CONNECT and Alejandro Mondragón from GfK.

Dublin - Independent Retail Europe’s annual conference was co-hosted this year with Irish member association RGDATA (Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association). This year’s conference focussed on access to EU funding for the sector.

The Supply Chain Initiative (SCI), an initiative aimed at promoting good trading practices in the food supply chain, publishes today its second Annual Report.

Independent Retail Europe’s annual conference was a great success this year. Co-hosted with Spanish member association ANCECO, groups of independent retailers and associations representing independent retailers from across Europe met in Barcelona to network, share experiences and discuss the future direction of the sector.

In order to encourage micro and small enterprises to join the Supply Chain Initiative (SCI), the Governance Group has decided to further simplify the procedure for their registration.

Frankfurt - Independent Retail Europe signed on 23 July a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the European Central Bank (ECB) and more than 45 other partners to raise awareness of a €20 banknote to be introduced in November.