The Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC) has published The Heartbeat of Indie Retail 2024–2025, a comprehensive report bringing together insight from its Quarterly Heartbeat Surveys conducted across the past two years.
The Heartbeat Surveys track trading conditions, business confidence, and the key pressures facing independent retailers across the UK. By collecting regular feedback directly from businesses on the ground, the IRC is able to build an evidence base that reflects real-world retail trading conditions rather than headline statistics alone.
This report draws on data and commentary from the IRC’s Quarterly Heartbeat Surveys undertaken throughout 2024 and 2025. It combines quantitative survey results with qualitative insight from independent retailers across multiple retail sectors.
The research is made possible through the active involvement of the IRC’s member associations. Many associations contribute responses gathered directly from their members, enabling the IRC to present a broad and representative picture of independent retail performance and sentiment across the UK.
Published: April 2026