The industry’s leading recognition and development programme for independent retailers, the Independent Achievers Academy, has revealed their top 100 independent retailers in the UK & Ireland, for 2011.
Retailers who entered the academy were assessed against 12 best practice principles including shop layout, merchandising and retail innovation. Mystery shopper visits were made to all of the entrants and IAA project manager Kate Dickenson was impressed with the standard this year. “We have seen a huge increase in standards this year,” she said, “demonstrating the commitment of local store owners to continuously improve and do a great job for shoppers.”
For the second time, betterRetailing has plotted this interactive map for you to look at all 100 retailers. See if your shop is in the list, or failing that, if there’s any top 100 stores near you that you can visit and benchmark yourself against.
The finals for this year’s IAA will take place on 17 November at the Grange Hotel at Tower Bridge, London. For more information visit www.iaacademy.co.uk or call Caroline Cronin on 020 7689 0600
Chander Hingorani
16/10/2011
My congrats to the 100 top retailers announced for the IAA awards. There is one interesting fact emerging from these so called top 100. 72% of then belong to the symbol group like Premier, Londis, Budgens etc. What therefore is the lesson for the Indys. Join a symbol group if you want to run a successful business. These shops are well fitted, stocked, marketed and managed and have to adhere to the strict discipline of these symbol groups. Route to success. In a recent article in the Retail Express, it was stated that for independents to compete with the big super markets was for them to be properly fitted out stocked etc. I have been an advocate this for many years and I feel it is the only way to runa successful business. Message is simple- refit to keep fit.