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news
2023 Frog Tadpole balance bike.jpgGovernment touts Frog Bikes as post-Brexit "success" story, just months on from company blaming Brexit "friction" for £500,000 losses
Frog Bikes, the bicycle brand for pint-sized people, has been featured in a press release from the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) that aims to highlight the opportunities open to British manufacturers post-Brexit. It’s not the most attention-grabbing news from the department over the festive period – today’s news that wine can be sold in 568ml ‘pint’ measures clearly claims that prize, but it does give a glimpse into how UK bike businesses are having to adapt to today’s trading environment.
The children’s bike company, which has its head office in Ascot, Berkshire and manufacturing plant in Pontypool, south Wales, has spoken in previously published reports accompanying its accounts filed at Companies House of the impact the UK’s decision to leave the European Union had on its business, and its co-founder said in 2020 that in the first two months after the Withdrawal Agreement came into effect early that year, Frog Bikes incurred Brexit-related costs of £250,000.
> Brexit cost bicycle business £250,000 in two months
And earlier this year, reported pre-tax losses of £530,476 for the year to February 2022, the company blamed continued “friction” post-Brexit for it being in the red.
> Ongoing Brexit “friction” blamed as Frog Bikes reports £500,000 losses
But in the DBT press release published on Christmas Eve under the heading, Children around the world enjoy British-made gifts this Christmas, Frog Bikes was featured as one of three businesses capitalising on an export market for toys and bikes that the government department says is worth £640 million a year.
According to the press release, “Australia, New Zealand and Japan are just some of the countries snapping up British-made products, with around £36 million of toys exported to these countries in 2022. Thanks to our FTAs it’s even easier for people in those countries to buy world-class British products.”
It went on to highlight the future benefits of the UK’s recent agreement to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a major trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific.
“Joining CPTPP means that over 99 per cent of current UK goods exports, including toys and bikes, to CPTPP members will be eligible for tariff-free trade.”
Minister for international trade, Greg Hands, said: “The UK is world-renowned for its high-quality products and manufacturing prowess, so it’s no surprise the UK is one of Santa’s biggest workshops, with British-made presents flying off the shelves to fill stockings around the world.
“I’m delighted our post-Brexit trade agreements are making it easier for British companies to help Santa check off Christmas lists in Australia and New Zealand this year.”
That’s great news for kids on the other side of the world who may have received gifts this year from British firms including Dr Zigs, which makes “sustainable bubbles” and teddy bear manufacturer Merrythought, which like Frog Bikes were featured in the press release, although absent from the government release was any mention of the world’s biggest trading bloc located rather closer to home.
“Our journey at Frog Bikes has been one of constant evolution and expansion. We envision expanded exports to countries like Singapore and Canada, anticipating the benefits of CPTPP,” said Jerry Lawson, described in the DBT press release as the company’s “Chief Frog and Export Champion.”
He continued: “The support from DBT and the Welsh Government has been invaluable, solidifying our presence in Norway and facilitating our US launch in 2016.
“As we continue to leverage these opportunities and collaborations, Frog Bikes remains committed to fostering fair trade agreements, protecting local manufacturing, and ensuring sustainable practices within the cycling industry,” he added.
The DBT says that exports make up 45 per cent of sales at Frog Bikes, and that “with over 50 countries already on their exporting list, they plan to expand sales to CPTPP countries ahead of the deal coming into force.”
We have approached Frog Bikes for a comment.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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51 comments
I think that the Brexit referendum represented the most democratic process possible under British democracy. Every possible part of the democratic process was gone through.
I would hope that any 'Rejoin' referendum, should it occur, will aim to emulate that process.
Most governments don't achieve a majority of the vote and almost all implement policies not in their manifestos. It's hard to describe that as truly democratic. It's why I backed AV in the previous national referendum.
You're deluded! Have a great brexit, enjoy your pints of wine, lbs and ounces, shrinking economy and corrupt government, it's what (29% of) the people want.
If only we'd stayed in the EU then a shrinking economy and corruption would be unheard of...
https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/euro-zone-economy-likely-entered-...
https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-qatargate-corruption...
Good old "whataboutery" and extremism.
We left the EU and you made a quip about enjoying corruption and a shrinking economy.
It's hardly whataboutery to directly address those points.
With whataboutery and extremism.
Two links directly related to subjects you raised?
I'm failing to see either whataboutery or extremism there?
Perhaps you could elucidate?
What about EU? Let's not talk about UK gov corruption, look at the the EU, here's a right winger who's published an article about EU corruption and my only response to a claim that my gov is corrupt is to point the finger at others and demand that they must be at the extreme point of being corruption free, because if they're not, you can't criticise the theft of public money or the hiding of offshore accounts and tax evasion! What about them? Look at them!! What about the EU recession where they're not tripling debt to hide the fact tat the UK gov is shite? Please don't respond to a charge of UK corruption with a defence of UK corruption, just look at EU instead!
You linked Brexit to a shrinking economy and corruption.
If Brexit hadn't occurred that EU parliament corruption would directly affect the UK as that would be our parliament too. That would be on top of any UK corruption. Brexit therefore appears to have reduced our exposure to corruption.
The current weakness in the UK economy is mirrored in that if the Eurozone suggesting that something other than Brexit is at play there.
No whataboutery. Just challenging the points you made with some facts.
As I said, absolute delusion, and zero facts. I never said that brexit was the cause of the impending UK recession, just that UK borrows like fuck to support its own Ponzi scheme. Hat off to you for doing their bidding and supporting the failed brexit.
It was in no way insinuated...
And yet here we are, the economy is shrinking due to brexit right when there also has been a global pandemic and a war in Ukraine to make things worse. Who'd've thunk that several things can happen at the same time (not a right whinger that's for sure), including the fuckfest that brexit is? Add in the tory corruption and tax dodging and that probably means they have to keep fools happy by supporting the ponzi scheme with borrowing to the eye watering levels that they are.
Chao!
Of course there's always the huge national debt if you really want to make a final point.
If only we'd stayed in the EU we could be as debt free as France or Italy...
yet again, not quite the victory shout that you think that that is...
I'm pretty confident that both those countries have significantly higher national debts than the UK.
Maybe you were trying to make some other point?
From memory once you've argued yourself into a corner you just resort to insinuations and rhetorical questions to try and save face.
Have we reached that point yet?
UK has doubled its % debt since 2005. From memory, you generally have no argument and fall back on whataboutery or personal sideswipes. All you have done is compare UK to EU states without any clear benefit of your beloved brexit. Even Frog bikes could have entered the Aus market during membership of EU. Not one benefit of brexit can be put forward, unless you think pints of wine is a benefit and can find another right wing article to support the point.
Brexit was causing us to increase our debt 11 years before the referendum?
You're the one who linked increasing debt and corruption to Brexit.
It appears both are equally bad or worse for countries who remained in the EU.
I'd suggest you find some evidence to support your position before demanding evidence from others.
Pompous arse!
And just for your reference, I can't defend things that I haven't written, things that live in your deluded head.
And that really is chao!
I've quoted you further down the thread. If you didn't want to link Brexit with increasing debt and corruption it seems rather odd to list them in the way you did. It's almost like you can't defend your position so you're just trying to gaslight your way out of it.
Anyway once you resort to ad hominems* it's a sign you're totally out of arguments worth listening to so I too will bow out.
*FYI this is a pompous way of saying 'personal insults'.
Mostly good with the rest of the logic but pedantically - if we have signed up (and presumably "with despatch") to a bunch of new agreements (leaving aside our divorce settlement and rearrangement with the EU) I would suggest we've at best substituted one source of additional corruption for another. Possibly at a bit further remove of course!
To those saying "ah, but it's just the once" I recommend perusal of e.g. Private Eye (e.g. on our long-term Saudi dealings among many others). We were of course doing that particular one all the while we were in the EU...
Overall I think "keep the corruption close to home" is a good principle. It may be better to have the rulers no more than say a day or so's travel with a pitchfork and flaming torch - might keep them slightly keener. OTOH it may also be worth bearing some junketing to avoid having overly parochial big people. Strangely the name "Lutfur Rahman" suddenly popped into my head (of course others are available e.g. the username of a sometime poster here rings a bell).
I'm in no way suggesting that the UK is corruption free but I do agree with the principle of keeping it closer to home and, wherever possible, minimising the size of government and its associated bureaucracy to reduce opportunities for corruption.
The House of Lords is the most obvious target for this IMO.
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