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The retail industry has lost 225,000 jobs in the last five years, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
On a four-quarter average there were 40,000 less jobs in the industry compared with last year.
Overall there were 2.81m jobs in retail in September 2024, although this is usually a low point before the Christmas period.
Helen Dickinson, British Retail Consortium CEO, said: “Despite a further fall in the number of retail jobs, the industry remains the largest private sector employer providing approximately 2.9m jobs in the UK, with another 2.7m in the supply chain.
“The current fall is partially explained by ongoing transformation in the industry, from increased investment in automation and higher productivity, to a shift to outsourcing of warehousing and logistics that are not all captured by the ONS retail figures.”
She added: “Meanwhile, costs of hiring have risen significantly in recent years. Pay growth in the industry was well above the national average at 8.5% in 2024, and up over 25% since 2021.
“The October Budget increases the National Living Wage by a further 6.7%, adding over £2.7bn to retailer wage bills from April 2025, while changes to rate and threshold for employer NI contributions will cost the industry over £2.3bn. This could hasten the reduction in retail jobs and particularly the recruitment of part-time roles, which have been falling in recent years.”
The BRC also stated that many businesses are responding to the ‘changing business landscape’ by investing in more automation and improving worker productivity.
