Following activity by premium cat care franchise The Cat Butler, the Government has said that it has ‘no plans’ to back a campaign to support the franchising industry. The BFA has said it has been working on a lobbying agenda for some time, that will be rolled out in early 2023.

In September 2022, Cat Butler MD Sandra James wrote to local MP, Daisy Cooper, asking her to support the franchising industry. In turn, on 20 September 2022,  Ms Cooper tabled a question to the Government which read: “To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the British Franchise Association report entitled 2018 Franchise landscape: Brought to you by the BFA and NatWest, which found that failure rates for franchises remain very low if he will take steps to launch a public campaign in support of the franchise model?”

The Government’s response from MP for Watford and Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) Dean Russell, on 26 September 2022 was: “The Government has no current plans to launch any campaign on this issue.”

See the full question and answer here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-09-20/51984

Sandra James, managing director of The Cat Butler said: “This was a disappointing response and not what we had hoped to hear at all. Having spoken to Pip Wilkins, CEO of the British Franchise Association, she assures me that lobbying the Government is at the forefront of the BFA’s plans in 2023 and I would encourage all franchisors to lend her their support if and when she requests it. We know that franchising is a great business model, and we need to pull together to get that message across to the British Government and people.”