British Retail Consortium
This coverage focuses on the British Retail Consortium’s role, initiatives, and influence within the UK retail industry. Reporting includes policy advocacy, industry reports, regulatory developments, public statements, and leadership actions that shape the sector. With a focus on commercial implications and operational challenges, it provides valuable context for retail executives and managers navigating industry-wide issues and strategic decisions.
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Aug- 2022 -1 AugustFeatures
Recession and retailers: a ‘cleansing effect’?
“Incomes are being squeezed, consumption is under pressure, interest rates are rising, and there’s a lot of uncertainty. These are classic ingredients for recession,” says Ian Stewart, Deloitte’s chief economist. According to Deloitte’s UK CFO Survey Q2 2022, finance leaders have assigned a 63% probability of experiencing a recession within…
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1 AugustHigh Street
Shop vacancies fall for third quarter in a row
In the second quarter of 2022, the overall GB vacancy rate decreased to 14.0%, which was 0.1 percentage points better than Q1 and 0.5 percentage points better than the same period last year, according to the BRC. This was the third consecutive quarter of falling vacancy rates. All locations saw…
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Jul- 2022 -22 JulyEconomy
Transitional relief could cost retailers over £1bn, BRC warns
Retailers have warned that the failure to fix the “flawed” Transitional Relief system could cost the industry over £1bn between 2023-2026, and it will reportedly force shops which are most impacted by artificially inflated rates bills to close, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The BRC is calling for…
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Jun- 2022 -29 JuneEconomy
Shop price inflation hits highest level since 2008
Shop price annual inflation increased to 3.1% in June 2022, up from 2.8% in May, marking the highest rate of inflation since September 2008, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Food inflation also rose to 5.6% in June, up from 4.3% in May. This marks the highest inflation rate…
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28 JuneHigh Street
Retail footfall recovery dampened by strikes
UK footfall dropped by 3.9% last week (20 June – 26 June 2022), compared with the average of the previous four weeks, due to the RMT Union Rail Strikes. According to British Retail Consortium (BRC) Sensormatic IQ data, Thursday (23 June) was the “worst performing” day, with a 13.7% decline…
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28 JuneNews
Pets at Home Rochdale named Proud of My Store monthly winner
Fun, family spirit and amazing teamwork has given Pets at Home, Rochdale a win in the UK’s biggest nationwide competition celebrating frontline retail teams: Proud of My Store. Store Manager, Nathan Reynolds and his team (pictured) caught the eye of the competi-tion’s prestigious judging panel with their dynamic can-do attitude,…
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9 JuneEconomy
Retail sales dip in May as consumers cut spending
Sales across retail decreased by 1.1% in May, against an increase of 28.4% in May 2021, as consumers continued to cut spending amid the cost of living crisis, according to the BRC. This is below the three-month average growth of 0.7% and the 12-month average growth of 4.1%. On a…
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May- 2022 -31 MaySupermarkets
Supermarkets warn of price surge if imperial measurements return
The British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons, has warned the prime minister that returning to imperial measurements could worsen the cost-of-living crisis and further drive up inflation. The comment comes after the BEIS is to launch a 12-week consultation on Friday made up of business…
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31 MayHigh Street
Violence and abuse against retail workers tripled over pandemic
Retail workers were subjected to a “huge” rise in violence and abuse over the pandemic, with incidents almost tripling to 1,301 per day in 2020/21, compared to 455 in 2019/20 according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The BRC’s crime survey found that of the 1,301 incidents recorded every single…
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25 MayComment
AI-powered self-service is the future of physical retail
At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, retail was among the most impacted industries: over 17,500 chain stores closed in the UK in 2020. At the same time, e-commerce growth numbers went through the roof. According to Digital Commerce 360, “the pandemic facilitated a gain of around $218 billion in…
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