The BMF represents all types of merchants - irrespective of product, turnover or geography. FTSE-listed businesses, mid-sized regionals, and numerous small local independents are members. Manufacturers and specialist suppliers to merchants are also BMF members.
In addition to our own efforts, the BMF channels its members’ views through other bodies we belong to - notably the CBI and two pan-European merchants associations: FEST https://festassociation.eu/ and UFEMAT https://www.ufemat.eu/
Nations
The BMF supports and represents its members across all devolved nations.
Devolution to Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast began in earnest after 1997, with the subsequent establishment of the parliaments, assemblies and devolved administrations that we see today. More powers and responsibilities have since been transferred. But each nation has different levels of legislative, administrative and budgetary competence. The UK Government has kept certain policy areas as ‘reserved’ or ‘excepted’ to London like taxation and social security.
During Covid-19, the Devolved Administrations used their powers differently to the UK Government in London. Each nation had its own roadmap that involved different approaches, stricter messaging, compulsory policies backed in law, and variable review dates & timings, as local conditions (like the R-Number) dictated. But when First Ministers tightened or eased the restrictions, we gave BMF members the necessary advice or guidance straightaway.