The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 January 2026.

During the year, GEM Imports Limited continued to develop its established customer relationships and strengthen its position within the UK discount wholesale market.

Turnover for the year was £48.7 million compared with £60.2 million in the previous year, with profit before tax of £3.5 million compared with £5.8 million.

Despite the reduction in turnover, the company improved its gross profit margin from 19.6% to 21.2%, reflecting a continued focus on product profitability and commercial performance.

The company continued to invest in stock availability, product development and customer relationships, supporting its ability to offer a broad range of competitively priced products while maintaining a reliable service to its customers.

The directors remain focused on maintaining profitability, controlling operating costs and identifying opportunities for sustainable growth.

The company operates within a competitive trading environment and remains exposed to a number of external risks, including fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, international shipping costs, supply chain disruption and changing customer demand.

During the year, Sterling strengthened against the US Dollar, while international shipping rates remained relatively stable. However, subsequent increases in fuel surcharges have highlighted the continuing uncertainty surrounding international freight costs.

The directors continue to monitor currency movements and shipping costs closely, working with suppliers and logistics partners to mitigate potential impacts on product pricing and availability.

The UK retail sector continues to face challenging trading conditions, with pressure on consumer spending and increasing operating costs. The company seeks to mitigate these risks through a diversified customer base, careful stock management, cost control and a continued focus on product profitability.

The directors regularly review the company's principal risks and take appropriate steps to protect its financial and operational position.

The directors remain confident in the company's long-term prospects despite the challenging trading environment and continued cost pressures affecting the UK retail and wholesale sectors.

The company will continue to focus on developing relationships with existing customers while pursuing opportunities with new national retail accounts.

Investment in product development, sourcing capabilities and new product ranges will remain a key priority, ensuring the business continues to offer customers a competitive and diverse product portfolio.

The company will also continue to review its operational processes, warehousing and distribution arrangements to improve efficiency, control costs and protect profitability.

The directors remain committed to maintaining a strong financial position while pursuing opportunities for sustainable and profitable growth.

The company’s key financial and other performance indicators during the year were as follows:

In addition to financial performance, the directors monitor a range of non-financial indicators to assess the company's operational effectiveness and support its long-term development.

Employees

The company employed 63 members of staff during the year. The directors recognise the importance of retaining experienced employees and continue to support staff development through training and ongoing investment in workplace practices.

Product Quality and Compliance

Maintaining high standards of product quality and regulatory compliance remains a key priority. The company continues to work closely with its suppliers to ensure products meet applicable UK safety and quality requirements.

Customer Service and Operational Performance

The company continues to monitor stock availability, order fulfilment and delivery performance to maintain a reliable service to its customers. Operational processes are regularly reviewed to identify opportunities for improvement.

Environmental Performance

The company continues to monitor energy consumption, transport efficiency and product packaging, with a focus on reducing unnecessary resource consumption and improving the sustainability of its operations.

The directors of the company act in a responsible manner to promote its long-term success. The aim is to offer great value and choice for its customers.

Customer satisfaction is essential to the success of Gem Imports. To support this, the company has a vastly experienced buying team that can source a wide range of high-quality products at affordable prices, ensuring the customer receives great value for money.

All goods are subject to rigorous factory testing to ensure that the products are in line with the quality required.

The business works closely with a local charity, which provides support and investment in research to help children living with cancer.

The company has provided jobs to 63 members of staff.

The business recognises that it has an obligation to minimise its impact on the environment.

The main source of electricity consumption is lighting. Consumption is routinely monitored, to ensure that it is as low as possible and any corrective actions are put in place.

As a business, we are committed to having a more sustainable supply chain. We are working closely with our suppliers to reduce the use of plastic packaging for our products. Alternative packaging is being introduced wherever possible and is constantly monitored.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 January 2026.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of an importer and wholesale supplier of discount product ranges and pound lines.

The results for the year are set out on page 10.

No ordinary dividends were paid. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

The company operates a treasury function which is responsible for managing the liquidity, interest and foreign currency risks associated with the company’s activities.

The company’s principal financial instruments include derivative financial instruments, the purpose of which is to manage currency risks and interest rate risks arising from the company’s activities, and bank overdrafts, loans and corporate bonds, the main purpose of which is to raise finance for the company’s operations. In addition, the company has various other financial assets and liabilities such as trade debtors and trade creditors arising directly from its operations. Derivative transactions which the company enters into principally comprise forward exchange contracts. In accordance with company’s treasury policy, derivative instruments are not entered into for speculative purposes.

The company manages its cash and borrowing requirements in order to maximise interest income and minimise interest expense, whilst ensuring the company has sufficient liquid resources to meet the operating needs of the business.

The company is exposed to fair value interest rate risk on its fixed rate borrowings and cash flow interest rate risk on floating rate deposits, bank overdrafts and loans. The company uses interest rate derivatives to manage the mix of fixed and variable rate debt so as to reduce its exposure to changes in interest rates.

The company’s principal foreign currency exposures arise from trading with overseas companies. Company policy permits but does not demand that these exposures may be hedged in order to fix the cost in sterling. This hedging activity involves the use of foreign exchange forward contracts.

Investments of cash surpluses, borrowings and derivative instruments are made through banks and companies which must fulfil credit rating criteria approved by the Board.

All customers who wish to trade on credit terms are subject to credit verification procedures. Trade debtors are monitored on an ongoing basis and provision is made for doubtful debts where necessary.

The auditor, DJH Audit Limited, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors present the companies energy consumption and emissions for the year ended 31 January 2026.

We have followed the 2019 UK Government Environmental Reporting Guidelines.

We have used the 2024 UK Government’s Conversion Factors for Company Reporting.

The energy efficiency narrative methodology has been created based on energy management best practice.

Operational scopes

We have measured our scope 1 and 2 emissions and included scope 3 emissions related to employee use of their own vehicles, where they claim mileage allowance (grey fleet).

The company has adopted tCO2e per full time as its key intensity ratio.

Gas and electricity

The energy use in kWh was taken from supplier invoices which have been collated into a spreadsheet by Gem Imports Limited.

Transport

Grey fleet data was calculated from expense records and fuel purchases.

During the year, the energy efficiency actions taken by the company included:

• Reviewing all timers on our electricity and reporting on energy usage weekly to ensure only energy required has been used.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

We have audited the financial statements of GEM Imports Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 January 2026 which comprise the statement of income and retained earnings, the statement of financial position, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 January 2026 and of its profit for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

As part of our planning process:

• We enquired of management the systems and controls the company has in place, the areas of the financial statements that are mostly susceptible to the risk of irregularities and fraud, and whether there was any known, suspected or alleged fraud.

• We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to the company. We determined that the following were most relevant: FRS 102, Companies Act 2006 and Health & Safety at Work 1974.

• We considered the incentives and opportunities that exist in the company, including the extent of management bias, which present a potential for irregularities and fraud to be perpetuated, and tailored our risk assessment accordingly.

• Using our knowledge of the company, together with the discussions held with the company at the planning stage, we formed a conclusion on the risk of misstatement due to irregularities including fraud and tailored our procedures according to this risk assessment.

The key procedures we undertook to detect irregularities including fraud during the course of the audit included:

• Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular those that were significant and unusual.

• Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and determining whether accounting policies have been appropriately applied.

• Reviewing and challenging the assumptions and judgements used by management in their significant accounting estimates, in particular in relation to amortisation, depreciation, bad debt provision and stock provision.

• Assessing the extent of compliance, or lack of, with the relevant laws and regulations.

• Testing key turnover lines, for evidence of management bias.

• Documenting and verifying all significant related party balances and transactions.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may have not detected some material misstatements in the financial statements even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. The primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities and fraud rests with the directors.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's member in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's member those matters we are required to state to the member in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's member, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The income statement has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

GEM Imports Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 2 Athena Way, Hoyland, Barnsley, S74 0FQ.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.

Turnover from the sale of goods is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods have passed to the buyer (usually on despatch of the goods), the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be measured reliably.

Intangible assets acquired separately from a business are recognised at cost and are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses.

Intangible assets acquired on business combinations are recognised separately from goodwill at the acquisition date where it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity and the fair value of the asset can be measured reliably; the intangible asset arises from contractual or other legal rights; and the intangible asset is separable from the entity.

Amortisation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

The residual values, estimated useful lives and depreciation method of tangible fixed assets are reviewed, and adjusted as appropriate, at each statement of financial position date. The effects of any revision are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income when the change arises.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition.

Stocks held for distribution at no or nominal consideration are measured at the lower of cost and replacement cost, adjusted where applicable for any loss of service potential.

At each reporting date, an assessment is made for impairment. Any excess of the carrying amount of stocks over its estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell is recognised as an impairment loss in profit or loss. Reversals of impairment losses are also recognised in profit or loss.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's statement of financial position when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the income statement because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when the company has a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leases asset are consumed.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The estimates and assumptions which have a significant risk of causing material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities are outlined below.

• Making judgement based on historical experience on the level of provision required for impairment of stock. Further information received after the statement of financial position date may impact the level of provision required.

• The directors use judgement to provide against bad debts using knowledge of customers and experience. The provisions are revisited after the statement of financial position date to ensure no significant impact.

• Estimating the useful economic life of an asset and the anticipated residual value are considered to be a key estimate in calculating an appropriate amortisation and depreciation policy.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to 1 (2025 - 1).

The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company:

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

Included within other creditors are defined contribution scheme liabilities totalling £7,555 (2025: £9,227).

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

Amounts contracted for but not provided in the financial statements:

The remuneration of key management personnel is as follows.

During the year the company entered into the following transactions with related parties:

The balances above are included within trade creditors and not individually shown elsewhere.

The following amounts were outstanding at the reporting end date:

The balances above are included within trade debtors and not individually shown elsewhere.