The winners of the ERT Awards 2026 have been revealed following an afternoon of celebrations at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms, where retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and industry professionals came together to recognise outstanding achievements across the electrical retail sector.
Hosted by comedian Scott Bennett, this year’s ceremony took place on Thursday 15 October and saw 24 awards presented to businesses and individuals from across the industry, recognising everything from retail excellence and customer service to product innovation, sustainability and emerging talent.
Among the winners were Wellingtons Electrical, Abbey Appliances, Dacombes of Wimborne, Potters Home Digital and Martins Hi-Fi, while AEG, Sony, Hoover, Pacifica and The CDA Group were among the manufacturers and suppliers celebrating success.
Martins Hi-Fi enjoyed a particularly successful afternoon, picking up two awards for Best Independent Electrical Retailer Shopfront and Best Independent Electrical Retailer Website.
Meanwhile, Forbes Rentals was named Best Sustainable Independent Electrical Retailer, with the retailers Janice Englefield also receiving the Sales Excellence Award.
The ceremony also saw the introduction of several new categories, recognising the individuals and businesses helping to shape the future of the industry.
Edward Harringman of Martins of Hawkhurst received the Best Retailer Breakthrough Talent Award, while Tracy Smith of Electrolux was named New Industry Personality of the Year.
The afternoon concluded with the Distinguished Industry Contributor of the Year Award, presented to Lee Sawford of Cata in recognition of his more than 30 years of dedication to the electrical industry.
Celebrating an industry that continues to adapt
Opening the ceremony, ERT Editor Will McGill reflected on another challenging year for the sector, while highlighting the resilience and determination of independent retailers.
“It certainly hasn’t been the easiest 12 months. Costs remain high, margins are under pressure, consumers are cautious, online competition isn’t going anywhere and the high street continues to change at an extraordinary pace,” he told guests.
“But if the last year has shown us anything, it’s that this industry is remarkably difficult to keep down.”
Mr McGill also highlighted findings from the inaugural ERT Report, launched earlier this year to provide a clearer picture of the challenges facing independent electrical retailers.
The research found that nearly 90 per cent of respondents identified online-only competitors as one of the biggest pressures facing their businesses, while 52.6 per cent reported that their gross margins had fallen slightly.
Meanwhile, 26.3 per cent said supplier support had worsened over the previous 12 months, with 84.2 per cent identifying stock availability as the support they valued most.
“Those figures only tell part of the story, but they give us a good indication of the pressures retailers are facing and what they need from the wider industry,” Mr McGill said.
“And despite those pressures, there is still plenty happening across the sector to be positive about.”
Speaking about the introduction of new awards, he added: “There are businesses represented in this room that have been trading for generations, alongside people who are only just beginning to make their mark.
“An industry like ours should celebrate its history, but it also needs to recognise the people who are going to shape its future.”
ERT Awards 2026: The winners
The full list of winners is as follows:
Retailer Awards
- Best Independent Domestic Appliances Retailer – Large: Wellingtons Electrical – Sponsored by Sirius Buying Group
- Best Independent Domestic Appliances Retailer – Small: Abbey Appliances – Sponsored by Euronics
- Best Independent Electrical Retailer Shopfront: Martins Hi-Fi – Sponsored by AEG
- Best Sustainable Independent Electrical Retailer: Forbes Rentals – Sponsored by Hotpoint
- Best Independent Kitchen Retailer Showroom: Diane Berry Kitchens Ltd – Sponsored by Miele
- Best Independent Electrical Retailer – Custom Install: Potters Home Digital – Sponsored by AWE
- Best Independent Consumer Electronics Retailer – Large: Dacombes of Wimborne – Sponsored by Hisense
- Best Independent Consumer Electronics Retailer – Small: 21st Century Service
- Best Independent Electrical Retailer Website: Martins Hi-Fi – Sponsored by Calculus Software Solutions
Product Awards
- Best New Product – Major Domestic Appliances: AEG CookSmart Touch Built-in Oven, Electrolux
- Best New Product – Small Domestic Appliances: VQ x Laura Ashley Digital Air Fryer, MyVQ – Sponsored by We Believe Media
- Best New Product – Consumer Electronics: Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos Soundbar 5.1 Dolby Atmos Surround Sound System
- Best New Product – Floorcare: Hoover HS5 Heat Spot Wash&Dry Carpet Cleaner
Manufacturer, Supplier and Industry Awards
- Best Manufacturer/Supplier Customer Service: The CDA Group Limited
- Best Industry Training Provider: Sony
- Best Industry Sales Representative: Ryan Hunt (Liebherr)
- Best Manufacturer/Supplier Sustainability Initiative: Pacifica
- Best Industry Distributor: Bluestem Group
- Best Industry Service and Support Provider: Calculus Software Solutions
Individual Awards
- Sales Excellence Award: Janice Englefield (Forbes Rentals) – Sponsored by CDA
- Retailer Social Media Campaign Star of the Year: Luke Gammons (Wades)
- Best Retailer Breakthrough Talent Award: Edward Harringman (Martins of Hawkhurst)
- New Industry Personality of the Year: Tracy Smith (Electrolux)
- Distinguished Industry Contributor of the Year: Lee Sawford (Cata) – Sponsored by AMDEA
ERT would like to thank everyone who entered, voted, judged, sponsored and attended this year’s ceremony, and congratulate all the winners, highly commended recipients and finalists.
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