h&b is extending its existing 2020 trading agreements with the majority of suppliers.

This will allow suppliers to plan production and investment and help secure jobs as the UK continues to emerge from lockdown. 

The group sees this as recognition of the importance of mutual commitment between merchants and suppliers. It is its way to ensure that merchants can feel confident of availability while fulfilling their commitments to the buying deal in order for suppliers to plan for success and expansion, and to have the confidence and stability needed for investment and growth – never more so than now as suppliers resume working. h&b’s deal extensions aims to show its confidence in the market, its commitment to support suppliers, and its members’ loyalty to the group’s deals.

Jamie Wyatt, Trading Director at h&b, commented “These are extremely challenging times with unprecedented difficulties for businesses trying to plan for sales and growth.  While our members are reporting some really encouraging sales demand, the future is still unclear. It is therefore important we support our supplier partners allowing them to plan future production and investment, safe in the knowledge of a continued relationship with this buying group. Hopefully, this will also help secure as many jobs as possible going forward.”

The key supplier agreement extension his is part of a wider range of h&b initiatives aimed at supporting both members and suppliers trade through the current crisis as part of its ongoing strategic growth and development strategy.