Today we’re talking about the big national kitchen and bathroom retailers and why a customer might choose one over you the independent...

It would be easy to spend this episode agreeing that independents offer better service, better design and better everything else than the big national chains. But how much of that is based on knowing what the competition actually does, and how much is what we like to tell ourselves?

This week, our retailer panel looks at the choice through the customer’s eyes. A familiar name, a finance deal or a showroom they feel comfortable wandering into can all be persuasive. Meanwhile, your beautiful independent showroom might have someone outside thinking: “I can’t afford that.”

How much do independents really know about the nationals’ products, prices and service? What do the big chains do well, and are the things independents consider their greatest strengths the things customers actually care about?

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Think you’ve got no chance of winning a kbbreview Retail & Design Award? Let the judges decide.

In this special bonus episode, kbbreview editor Andrew Davies explains how to give your 2027 entry the best possible shot. From choosing your categories to showing the judges what makes you stand out, he covers the essentials, the common mistakes and why you don’t need the biggest showroom or the flashiest project to take home a trophy.

Entering is free, and shortlisted entrants in the retail and design categories get two free tickets to the awards at Magna in Sheffield on April 22, 2027.

Entries close at 5pm on Thursday, November 12, 2026, with no extensions. Listen in, then get started at kbbreview.com/awards.

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Big promises, a new boss and a structural shake-up at the KBSA.

New managing director Luke Wedgbury joins Andy Davies to set out his manifesto for change – and explains why he and the board want to give independent retailers compelling new reasons to join while potentially making it harder to get in.

As the owner of Coalville Kitchens in Leicestershire, Wedgbury knows that a badge on the showroom door means very little if membership doesn’t help you run a better business. Recorded at The Belfry following his first speech in the role, this conversation explores how he intends to turn ambition into action.

With trading tough and good staff hard to find, what can the association actually do to help? Can it create a culture where retailers talk openly about their problems? And how does it convince consumers that choosing a KBSA member matters?

Plus, entries are open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027, with categories for retailers, designers, rising stars, unsung heroes and supplier teams. The deadline is 5pm on Thursday, November 12. Find everything you need to enter at kbbreview.com/awards.

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What do retailers actually need from suppliers to help sell their products?

This week, kbbreview editor Andy Davies is joined by Trevor Scott from RFK, Steph Warner from Pier One Bathrooms and Nick Warrington from Stuart J Warrington to discuss brochures and the other sales materials suppliers provide.

Where does a printed brochure fit into the sales process? Is it a catalogue for designers or a source of inspiration for clients? And does its quality still help establish a brand’s status? We also look at point-of-sale material and showroom signage – what earns its keep, what retailers could do without, and what’s missing?

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The debate around engineered stone and silica is moving quickly. Australia has banned it, California is considering strict limits and, here in the UK, the HSE is focusing on making sure it is fabricated safely.

But what does all this mean for independent kitchen and bathroom retailers?

This week, our retailer panel discusses how much they really know about the way their worktops are fabricated, what happens when stone needs cutting or drilling on site, whether retailers should be policing their own supply chains and where responsibility ultimately lies.

And it leads to a much bigger question: with so many rules and regulations to comply with, how are independent retailers supposed to know if they're getting everything right?

Plus, a reminder that entries are now open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027 – but the closing date is Thursday, November 12, and there will be no extensions. Find out everything you need to know at kbbreview.com/awards.

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Don't scroll past this one!

The very fact that you probably rolled your eyes when you saw this episode was about sustainability is at the heart of today's discussion.

Climate change is obviously an enormous issue affecting humanity and, as a result, sustainability is one of the biggest talking points among kitchen and bathroom manufacturers.

But why does no one seem to actually care when they’re buying a new kitchen or bathroom? And is that why retailers don't really seem to care either?

In this episode of the show, host Andy Davies is joined by our regular retailer panel to ask why sustainability remains such a difficult sales message. Do customers ask about it? Are retailers reluctant to bring it up? Can water-saving and energy-saving products actually sound like a compromise rather than a benefit?

And, crucially, what would have to change before sustainability became something retailers actively wanted to use to sell kitchens and bathrooms?

Don't forget! Entries are now open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027. For everything you need to know, go to kbbreview.com/awards

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Why is franchising suddenly booming in the KBB industry?

Ripples managing director Paul Crow joins Andy Davies to discuss how the bathroom franchise has almost doubled its showroom network in five years – despite an unpredictable retail market where footfall remains under pressure.

Paul explains why attitudes towards franchising have changed, why Ripples has deliberately resisted chasing growth for growth’s sake and why the company is now preparing to recruit franchisees again.

They also discuss the changing nature of independent retail, the benefits of sharing knowledge across a network and why Paul believes the relationship between retailers and some major suppliers is becoming increasingly disconnected.

And could the next generation of Ripples include existing independents converting their showrooms?

Don't forget that entries are OPEN for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027. The closing date is November 12th and everything you need to know is at kbbreview.com/awards

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Lakes Showering Spaces is celebrating its 40th anniversary, but rather than simply looking back, Marten Baker joins Andy Davies to talk about how a specialist shower door brand keeps moving forward in one of the most competitive areas of the bathroom market.

They discuss the importance of service, ease of installation and long-term availability of spare parts; why longevity increasingly matters in product design; and how Lakes is looking towards a more premium area of the market.

Plus, as bathroom design becomes increasingly driven by colour, texture and coordinated finishes, Marten explains the challenges facing shower enclosure manufacturers trying to keep pace with rapidly changing trends in brassware.

What does innovation really look like when, fundamentally, a shower door is still a piece of glass, some metal and a handle?

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