The future of UK franchising is on the line. We welcome BFA’s recent move to engage Parliament on promoting UK franchising and the value franchising brings to the economy, as reported in Elite Franchise.

Steven Bartlett has built a platform on advocating for mental health, urging business leaders to take the struggles of their people seriously. He is also an ambassador for Vodafone.

In 2020, Vodafone franchisees commissioned a survey, modelled on British Franchise Association standards of practice. The results were devastating:

Vodafone’s new UEFA partnership ties its name to values like Unity, Excellence, and Equality. Here’s how those values stack up against franchisees’ reality.

“My mental health has become very poor as I am suffering from anxiety and spells of depression.” “My mental health has suffered, the stress and worry of not hitting overheads is giving me anxiety. I think it’s disgraceful that I feel the constant threat of losing my savings, home and livelihood.”

How valued do you feel as a business partner to Vodafone? Score: 1.67 / 5 This was just one of the questions put to 119 Vodafone franchisees in a 2020 survey, and the results paint a shocking picture. bmmagazine.co.uk/news/vodafon...

VODAFONE: YOU WERE WARNED. Despite Vodafone’s public assurances that it listens to stakeholder concerns, the real picture continues to emerge through significant public interest journalism.

In its new partnership with UEFA, Vodafone must uphold its values. Perhaps they should also investigate whether Vodafone have demonstrated two of UEFA’s key values: Fairness and Integrity.

Vodafone wants the glory of UEFA’s values, but not the responsibility of living by them.

Vodafone’s latest Executive Committee change is a reminder that corporate governance decisions ripple far beyond the boardroom shaping the lives of customers, employees, and franchisees.

The Guardian report reveals Vodafone has launched its fourth investigation into its franchising division amid our landmark legal claim.

Yesterday's Guardian report confirms Vodafone has launched its fourth investigation into its own franchising programme, on top of ongoing landmark legal claim.

Landmark legal claim. Growing public scrutiny. Mounting parliamentary attention. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

This is Rachael’s story. A single mother of three, Rachael had worked with Vodafone since 2013. She believed in the brand, even more so when she saw the support the Vodafone Foundation gave to victims of domestic abuse. In 2018, she joined the franchise programme.

VodafoneThree recently hired out Alton Towers for employees and their families in a celebration that looked to be full of fun and laughter. A gesture to say: “the company values not just the work we do, but the people behind it”.

This is Andrew’s story. “There are people who wouldn’t be here today if we hadn’t stood up and said: no more.” The human cost of Vodafone’s failed franchise model cannot be ignored.

Vodafone is busy putting SMEs in the spotlight with its “See Your Business Pitchside” competition – glossy campaigns, pitchside ads, the promise of €25,000 in exposure. A chance to “win big” and make it on your own.

This is Brett’s story. Living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Brett joined Vodafone’s franchise programme hoping to create stability and independence for himself and his family. Instead, what he found was relentless pressure and devastating setbacks.

This is Jackie’s story. “The vibe changed from this amazing thing to be part of, to suddenly feeling quite isolated.” What began with excitement soon turned into loneliness and fear. “It had a massive impact on my mental health, I really struggled. I went to some really dark places.”

We entered into our partnership with Vodafone in good faith, expecting support, autonomy, and stability. Instead, we faced financial strain and silence.

“For me, I hoped the franchise programme would be everything that Vodafone used to be, having worked for them from 2000.” But Martin’s experience was very different.

Franchising should empower. It should build communities, create jobs, and reward loyalty. But Vodafone’s franchise programme has become a warning sign. If you are: - A franchise owner - A prospective franchisor - A franchise professional

“I got sold a dream. You can run your own business. You can be an entrepreneur. That didn’t happen.” For Liam, the promise of independence quickly collapsed into hardship. “We’ve had to start again. It’s affected us from start to finish.”

“I believed this would see me out to retirement and would better mine and and my family’s lives.” For Scott, running a Vodafone franchise was meant to be his future. Instead:

Vodafone continues to call our £120m legal claim a “commercial dispute.” But let’s be clear: this is not simply about contracts and numbers. It’s about real people, real lives, and real hardship.

Vodafone has announced another campaign to support SMEs – its “See Your Business Pitchside” competition offers two SMEs the chance to win over €25,000 in media exposure at the Aviva Stadium during the Autumn Nations Series.

Today we’re celebrating an important milestone: our page has reached over 1,600 followers on LinkedIn! To every single one of you who has been with us through this process – thank you. Your support has been amazing as we navigate our landmark legal claim against Vodafone.

Vodafone has launched its “Just Ask Once” campaign, promising customers that “when a customer needs help, they ask us once, and we will sort it.” youtu.be/TgUrKEmdvmA

You grow a brand on your high street. You follow the rules. You raise concerns and ask for help. Instead, you’re left to cope with debt, anguish, and silence, resulting in a £120M landmark legal claim. These are the claims of 62 former and current Vodafone franchisees.

“Franchising can be used as a method to exaggerate the power of the business at the heart of the franchise and to weaken the position of franchisees… and is particular in the case of Vodafone.” – Sir John Hayes MP. “This is a systemic issue.” – Gareth Thomas MP

To the CMA: Vodafone was given the green light to merge with Three at a time when Vodafone faces an ongoing dispute involving 62 current and former franchisees.

To Vodafone’s Institutional Shareholders: it’s time to ask the hard questions.

City A.M. is making it clear: our legal battle against Vodafone isn’t just about one company. It’s a stress test for the entire UK franchise model. And once more, CEO Margherita Della Valle finds herself under the microscope for facing “renewed backlash”.

Did the AGM deliver real answers – or just more deflection? Did Vodafone leadership face up to the damage done by its broken franchise model – or brush it aside?

Ironically, Vodafone has just announced a new content series with Steven Bartlett’s FlightStory Studio, aimed at helping UK small and medium-sized businesses.

In Business Matters Magazine, the message couldn’t be clearer: Vodafone’s attempt to ignore its franchisees failed. “Vodafone’s AGM was disrupted by two former franchisees involved in the £120m legal claim against the telecoms giant.”

Thank you to Mark Sweney and The Guardian for reporting on the disruption of Vodafone’s AGM by two of our former franchisees involved in the £120m legal claim now heading to the High Court.

At Vodafone’s AGM, one of our former franchisees asked a devastatingly human question: “How do you sleep at night knowing Vodafone’s actions left people suicidal, cost them homes, and left them drowning in debt?”

Franchisees confronted Vodafone’s CEO at today’s AGM with a question that couldn’t be ignored: “How do you sleep at night knowing that Vodafone’s actions have left franchisees suicidal, losing their homes and drowning in debt?” Now, the story is making headlines across the media.

At Vodafone’s AGM today, two of our brave former franchisees stood up and asked CEO Margherita Della Valle a simple, human question: “Margherita, how do you sleep at night knowing Vodafone’s actions left people suicidal, cost them homes, and left them drowning in debt?”

Today is Vodafone’s AGM. In the room: executives, shareholders, and a polished narrative. Outside the room: 62 franchisees with stories of loss, injustice, and betrayal.

Vodafone’s AGM will undoubtedly focus on growth and innovation off the back of the Vodafone-Three merger, but what about the failure and human cost of its franchise model? Did Three know about our £120m legal claim against Vodafone?

Four days remain until Vodafone’s AGM. And while shareholder updates are prepared, questions hang in the air: Will the legal claim from 62 franchisees be acknowledged? Will those affected be seen and heard? Will leadership continue to ignore what MPs have called a “systemic issue”?

Vodafone publicly commits to ethical business, integrity, and fairness. So do many of its largest institutional investors.

We believe in franchising. Done right, it builds communities. Creates jobs. Rewards loyalty. But that future depends on fairness – not just profits. Minister for Enterprise @gareththomasmp.bsky.social said he was moved by our stories and confirmed he is personally monitoring the case.

“Can the Minister confirm the matter of the problems with franchisees were discussed ahead of [the Vodafone-Three] merger being approved? Indeed more broadly, can such a merger really be said to benefit the British public?”

What people might assume about our legal claim against Vodafone: “They just didn’t manage their stores well.” Most of us ran successful stores before Vodafone changed the model. We were profitable, until decisions made at the top pulled the rug out.

“Franchising can be used as a method to exaggerate the power of the business at the heart of the franchise and to weaken the position of franchisees.” That was the warning from Sir John Hayes MP in a recent Parliamentary debate on franchising - and many of us know exactly what he meant.

What if this happened to you? You’re promised a business. You invest your savings. You grow the brand on your local high street. Then the model changes. Your margins shrink. Your support vanishes. Your contract gets pulled. You’re left with debts, and no way forward.

Then: Promised independence and ownership Told we were "partners", not employees Encouraged to invest everything Now: Businesses collapsed Left in debt or without jobs 62 franchisees forced to seek justice in court