Independents versus affiliation — What factors motivate retailers?

The decline of the independent retailer as a result of the growing strength of the multiples has been a persistent factor in British retailing for decades, and the effectiveness of the affiliated retailer in fighting back in the form of voluntary groups is equally well‐known. But why do so many independent retailers still prefer to operate outside the group structure? The authors carried out a study of 100 unaffiliated retailers in the north‐west of England; this article outlines their findings.