What’s at stake in 2026?

FOR BIFA members — many of which are SMEs operating close to margins — several interlocking pressures are acute.

Regulatory & customs complexity

Since Brexit, the UK’s regulatory and customs architecture continues to evolve. More declarations, shifting rules of origin, and compliance burdens mean forwarders must invest in systems, staff training, and risk mitigation. BIFA recognises that many members struggle to keep pace with changing customs regimes and border controls, especially smaller firms.

In response, BIFA has recently revised its Standard Trading Conditions (STC), with a new edition to come into force at the end of 2025, aiming to reflect more volatile trade conditions, strengthen legal defensibility, and clarify rights and obligations between forwarders and their customers.

Contractual & liability risk

One of the more alarming statistics is that up to 80% of freight globally may be uninsured, according to estimates cited by BIFA leadership.

This exposes forwarders to very serious liability and financial risk — particularly for high-value or fragile shipments, or in regions with elevated theft, damage, or loss rates.

Given that many forwarders are intermediaries rather than direct carriers, the risk of disputes or downstream claims is real. The updated STC aims to help manage this risk by clarifying scope, liability caps, disclaimers and force majeure language.

Sustainability and carbon transition

Environmental imperatives are increasingly non‑negotiable for key clients and regulators, but for many BIFA members more business‑critical issues (cashflow, compliance, labour) take precedence. BIFA will continue to try to help members meet the challenges in this arena

Infrastructure capacity & choke points

Congestion, port capacity constraints, and overburdened land routes (especially near the UK’s entry points) continue to exert cost, delay and reputational pressure on forwarders. BIFA welcomed the UK government’s approval of the Lower Thames Crossing, and hopes that work will begin in 2026.

Moreover, airport and cargo hub redevelopment is pressing. In April 2025, BIFA launched a dedicated advisory group to represent members in planning and negotiations around the  redevelopment of the cargo estate at Heathrow

Talent, recruitment & skills

The freight/logistics sector faces a demographic challenge: many experienced staff are approaching retirement, while recruitment is increasingly difficult given perceived low visibility of the industry among young people. BIFA is keenly aware of this.

To counteract the decline in recruitment, BIFA participates actively in the Generation Logistics initiative, and collaborates with numerous local schools and education authorities, as ell as participating in National Apprenticeship Week. The trade association also hosts events to promote apprenticeship pathways into freight forwarding and logistics.

Technological & digital transformation

Forwarders must modernise — By choice and for survival. Digital tools (AI, IoT, blockchain, real‑time tracking, predictive analytics) are increasingly key for competitiveness. BIFA consistently emphasises digitalisation and data as directional imperatives.

However, uptake is uneven: smaller players often struggle to fund or integrate such systems, creating a widening “digital divide” in the sector.

Financial & cost pressure

Volatile fuel costs, exchange rate movements, insurance premiums, and rising costs of labour, property and compliance all squeeze margins. The current cost environment leaves little cushion for errors or delays. Many forwarders are squeezed between demanding customers and thin margin leeway.

Initiatives for 2026

BIFA is gearing up in 2026 to address these challenges proactively — through campaigns, advisory groups, events and member support programs. Some are already in motion or publicly disclosed; others are anticipated.

The 37th BIFA Freight Service Awards will culminate in a ceremony on 15 January 2026, held at The Brewery in London. The awards remain a flagship event, celebrating excellence across key categories; and continuing to offer visibility, networking, and benchmarking opportunities for members seeking industry recognition and credibility.

BIFA revived the National Conference format in 2025, gathering members, stakeholders and speakers around themes of trade, sustainability, digitalisation and risk. Plans for 2026 are already in gestation, and the conference remains a platform for BIFA to influence government, customs, ports, carriers, and regulators.

Advisory & Policy Groups

Heathrow Cargo Advisory Group: This body, launched in 2025, will continue into 2026 and beyond, shaping how freight systems, infrastructure and information flows are planned in the airport redevelopment.

Sustainability & Environment Policy Group: Building on its 2024 sustainability survey, BIFA has created a policy group to monitor upcoming regulations, coordinate member responses, and deliver guidance. This group will likely lead regulatory consultations, lobby for transitional support, and develop sectoral roadmaps for decarbonisation.

Standard Trading Conditions Oversight & Education: As the new STC comes into force on 31 December 2025, BIFA will run educational webinars, implementation guides, and case studies to help members adopt the updated terms and reduce disputes.

Member education

To support members, especially smaller firms, through regulatory, technical and operational transitions, BIFA is expected to expand its portfolio of webinars, workshops and training modules in 2026

Regional member forums

BIFA continues to host regional meetings to provide member-level feedback loops and facilitate dialogue with local regulatory and port bodies. In 2026, these forums will likely include more structured consultation segments, where members can flag emerging issues, influence national policy, and help BIFA prioritise resource allocation.

Campaigns

Infrastructure support advocacy: BIFA’s backing of the Lower Thames Crossing; third runway at Heathrow and second operational runway at Gatwick signals its readiness to campaign for strategic infrastructure improvements that benefit freight.

In 2026, BIFA might amplify its voice in public consultations on port expansions, road capacity, inland freight corridors, and modal shift funding.

Insurance & liability awareness: Given the high percentage of uninsured freight, BIFA may run awareness campaigns or partner with insurers to educate members about the risk exposure and available solutions.

Green freight and carbon roadmap campaign: To move sustainability from aspiration to practice, BIFA might launch a “Green Forwarder” campaign that highlights best practice adoption, case studies, peer-to-peer mentoring, and possibly a voluntary accreditation or badge for members meeting carbon‑efficiency thresholds.

Talent pipeline push: Building on its apprenticeship work, BIFA is considering a campaign targeting schools, universities and industry to raise the profile of freight/logistics as a career.

Trade shows

In 2026, BIFA is expected to maintain strong presence at major logistics exhibitions (e.g. Multimodal) via its Forwarder Village concept and LogPods, enabling members to showcase service offerings, connect to clients, and engage with sector stakeholders.

Related to this, BIFA’s Young Forwarder Network (YFN) sessions are likely to be embedded in these exhibitions to engage an emerging generation of professionals.

Diversity & inclusion initiatives

BIFA supports and participates in the Big Logistics Diversity Challenge, an event that leverages team-based logistics gamification to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry.  Expect a 2026 edition, which serves both as outreach and culture-building among members.

Conclusion: what 2026 could bring

For BIFA members, 2026 will be a test year. Market conditions will remain tight, regulatory complexity will persist, and sustainability demands will intensify. To survive and thrive, forwarders must invest in systems, risk mitigation, talent development and strategic partnerships.

BIFA is positioning itself to be the sector’s anchor: offering thought leadership, policy advocacy, capacity‑building services, and visible platforms for member recognition. Success in 2026 will rest on the degree to which BIFA:

• Helps members operationalise the updated STC and mitigate contractual risk.
• Bridges the digital and sustainability divide for smaller forwarders.
• Shapes infrastructure projects so they favour freight efficiency.
• Strengthens the talent pipeline through apprenticeships, campaigns and education.
• Maintains relevance and value through its events, advisory structures, training and sector voice.