bfa Natwest survey 2011 revealed

In 2010 franchising has increased turnover by £600 million to £12.4bn, an increase of five per cent compared to 2009. In addition, the sector's turnover and number of franchise systems have grown by 15 per cent since 2006, despite a UK GDP growth rate of only 9.4 per cent in the same period.

The number of franchise systems operating in the UK has grown to 897 in the past year, increasing the number of franchise units to 36,900. An extra 56,000 jobs have been created, taking total employment in the sector to 521,000. Franchising is also helping to drive international trade. Around a third of UK franchisors have units located outside of the UK, additionally, 38 per cent of domestic only franchises plan to expand abroad.

Peter Ibbetson, chairman small business of NatWest, said: "With 87 per cent of franchisors planning to expand in the year ahead, we're already seeing strong demand for our new £100m franchise fund."

Brian Smart, Director General of the bfa, added: "Yet again franchising has demonstrated its inherent tenacity and stability, despite a tough climate last year. This means many more sustainable business start-ups and jobs have been created by ethical franchising - further helping the UK economy get back on its feet".

Survey - additional key points

Nine out of 10 franchises remain profitable
Two thirds of franchises businesses trading less than two years reported to make profit
Employment rises to over half a million
Majority claim franchise model offers a competitive advantage
75 per cent of franchisors expect improvements for their business in the next year

First group of candidates achieve Qualified Franchise Professional status

The British Franchise Association (bfa) has announced the first group of successful candidates to achieve the status of Qualified Franchise Professional (QFP). The brand new qualification, launched at the beginning of 2010, provides formal recognition of an individual's professional knowledge and experience in franchising.

The QFP has also been introduced in association with The Franchise Training Centre in a number of their workshops together with the bfa's own core learning events. Through attending a number of pre-qualified events and seminars, individuals will gain points towards their QFP. All candidates must accumulate the appropriate number of points and attend an interview with the expert panel before achieving the qualification.

Andrew Quail, panel member and head of quality standards and compliance at the bfa, commented: "We are delighted to see the first round of successful candidates achieve QFP status - it is testament to their hard work and commitment to ethical franchising, something that the bfa is constantly striving to uphold. We firmly believe that the QFP will form an important step in the evolution of the franchising sector in the coming years.
The achievements of this first group are something for the industry and us as an organisation to be proud of."