BRC urges incoming prime minister to support retail sector with new manifesto

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has published a retail manifesto calling on Andy Burnham, the UK’s incoming prime minister, to work with the sector on measures to support jobs, investment and the high street.

The ‘Buy into Retail’ manifesto sets out 10 priorities, including reducing the cost of employing young people, reforming business rates, tackling retail crime and lowering electricity costs. It further calls for the establishment of a government-retail taskforce to improve employment routes and to ensure less overlapping regulation.

The BRC said retail supports 2.8 million jobs across the UK, with millions more employed through its supply chains. However, it warned that rising costs are putting pressure on employment and investment, citing a 6.5 billion pound increase in employment and National Insurance costs over the past two years.

In a statement, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “When retail thrives, more people are in work, investment flows into local communities, and fierce competition drives prices down for families.” She added: “Cumulative costs and fragmented policy decisions are holding the industry back.”

The manifesto comes as Burnham has outlined ambitions around regional growth, employment and high street regeneration. The BRC said retailers could support those aims if businesses have greater certainty over future costs and regulation.

On July 20, Burnham is due to replace current prime minister Kier Starmer, who announced his resignation in June after facing heightened scrutiny over his leadership in regards to various scandals and shifting policies.

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, had been considered the frontrunner as Starmer’s replacement, with his success particularly notable given his ability to win the Makerfield by-election against Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.