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Rail strikes knock UK retail footfall recovery

Retail footfall in the UK took a hit last week from rail strikes, new data shows. UK footfall dropped 3.9 percent over the week compared with the average of the previous four weeks, according to BRC-Sensormatic IQ data. High Streets were the worst performing category, with a 3.3 percent drop in footfall, while shopping centres were down 2.2...

4 hours ago

Retail

Cases of abuse and violence against retail staff triples during pandemic, report finds

Cases of abuse and violence against retail workers tripled during the pandemic, according to new data. The number of incidents increased to 1,300 per day between 2022 and 2021, compared to 455 per day between 2019 and 2020, according to the latest crime survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). While incidents soared, only 4 percent of them...

31 May 2022

RetailFeatured

Landlords in England ordered to rent out empty stores to 'rejuvenate' high streets

Landlords in England with empty stores for over a year will be ordered to rent out the premises to prospective tenants in a move by the government to “breathe new life into high streets”. The Levelling up and Regeneration Bill, which was unveiled in the Queen’s speech on Tuesday, gives local leaders more power to bring retail units back into use...

11 May 2022

RetailFeatured

UK spending falls in April, but fashion shines as demand for occasionwear returns

Consumers in the UK cut down on their spending last month as the cost of living rose, but fashion continued to outperform other categories as Brits geared up for summer social events, new data shows. Overall sales dropped by 0.3 percent year-over-year in April, the first decline in the past 15 months, according to the latest BRC-KPMG retail...

10 May 2022

BusinessFeatured

UK consumer price inflation in March hits 30-year high

UK consumer price inflation in March hit its highest point since 1992 as fuel prices continued to surge. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 7 percent in the year to March 2022, up from 6.2 percent in February, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That figure was above economists' estimates of 6.7 percent,...

15 Apr 2022

RetailFeatured

Fashion segment fuels UK sales growth in March, footfall gradually improves

The fashion segment was the standout performer in the UK last month as consumers continued to splash out on new outfits post lockdown. Fashion total like-for-like sales increased by 87 percent last month from a base of 57.5 percent the same month a year earlier. It was the only category to record positive non-store like-for-like sales in March....

8 Apr 2022

BusinessFeatured

BRC calls on UK government to make Apprenticeship Levy more flexible

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said it has requested the government “to introduce much-need flexibility to the Apprenticeship Levy” stating that this could create 8,000 new retail apprenticeships. Writing to secretary of state for education, Nadhim Zahawi MP, the organisation has outlined three main challenges to be addressed, which it...

17 Mar 2022

Retail

UK retail prices rise at fastest rate in over a decade, new data shows

Retail prices in the UK rose in February at the fastest rate in over 10 years, according to new data. Shop price annual inflation accelerated to 1.8 percent in February, up from 1.5 percent in January, marking the highest rate of inflation since November 2011. That’s according to the latest figures from the BRC-NielsenIQ price index. The...

2 Mar 2022

RetailFeatured

BRC calls for Apprenticeship Levy reform

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the UK government to reform the Apprenticeship Levy, stating it is “no longer fit for purpose”. In a public announcement, the organisation expressed the importance of apprenticeships for both employees and businesses, noting their ability to provide opportunity, skills and retraining for the...

8 Feb 2022

Retail

UK shoppers urged to respect new mandatory face masks

UK shoppers have been asked to “respect” new rules on mandatory face masks in shops in England following the emergence of Omicron, a new Covid-19 variant. The British Retail Consortium said “customers are asked to respect the rules and be considerate to their fellow shoppers and to hard-working shop staff.” Whether policing is necessary to...

29 Nov 2021

BusinessFeatured

Four in five UK retailers could close stores without business rates reform, BRC warns

Four in five UK retailers could close stores if no business rates reform is agreed by the government at its upcoming and long-awaited review, according to a new report. A survey of major retailers conducted by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) found that 83 percent of respondents said they are either likely or certain to close stores unless...

20 Sept 2021

Retail

UK retail jobs fall in second quarter

The UK’s retail industry lost 89,000 jobs in the second quarter compared to the same period a year ago, new data shows. Despite strong retail sales in recent months, the number of retail jobs fell to 3.015 million during the quarter, according to the latest ONS figures. But it was a brighter picture for the overall job market, with the number of...

14 Sept 2021