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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Mar- 2022 -2 MarchEconomy
UK retail prices rise to highest rate since 2011
Retail price annual inflation accelerated to 1.8% in February, up from 1.5% in January, marking the highest rate of inflation since November 2011, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ. The BRC said that food inflation remained the “key driver” behind the price rises. Food inflation remained unchanged…
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Feb- 2022 -2 FebruaryNews
Shop price inflation surges to 1.5%
Shop Price annual inflation accelerated to 1.5% in January, up from 0.8% in December, according to latest research from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This is taken from the period covering 1 – 7 January 2022 and reveals it is above the 12-month average decrease of 0.6 and six-month average…
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Jan- 2022 -28 JanuaryHigh Street
Store vacancy rate improves for first time since 2018
New research has found the number of vacant stores has decreased for the first time since 2018, according to the latest BRC-LDC Vacancy Monitor. In Q4, the GB store vacancy rate fell to 14.4%, 0.1 percentage points below the Q3 level. Shopping Centre vacancies improved to 19.1% for Q4, a…
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17 JanuaryFeatures
Customer service needs for the post-covid consumer
Nurturing customer service continues to be a primary focus of businesses. Even pre-covid, retailers naturally updated their offerings to out-perform competing brands – why the groundwork concerning competition within retailers is said to have entered into discussion as early as the 20th Century; ‘assessing the complexity of competition’, ‘distinguishing its…
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5 JanuaryNews
Price rises to pick up momentum in 2022
Shop price annual inflation accelerated to 0.8% in December, up from 0.3% in November with prices set to rise in the new year, according to a latest study from the BRC. The increase of 0.3% is above the 12 and six month average price decreases of 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively.…
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Nov- 2021 -24 NovemberComment
The £15bn question – are you still investing in instore expertise?
With the Golden Quarter in full swing and the risk of another lockdown receding, it feels like physical retailers can finally focus on the future and doing what they do best. Namely serving the varied interests and needs of our nation of shoppers. While the terminals are processing payments, amidst…
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18 NovemberNews
Card costs could soar £150m a year, BRC warns
Retailers in the UK and the EEA could now face an estimated £150m a year cost increase to accept cross-border card payments, with British retailers alone shouldering an extra £36.m, or £100,000 every day, the BRC has warned. The research, by retail payments advisory firm CMSPI, in conjunction with the…
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5 NovemberFeatures
The journey so far: Disability provisions in the retail sector
Tesco, among other retailers, has recently implemented a ‘quiet hour’ scheme in a bid to improve its inclusivity. Measures such as the dimming of lights and reduction of noise are included in the retailer’s plan to make shopping a more ‘calming’ experience for minority groups. Although this is evidence of…
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Oct- 2021 -27 OctoberGovernment
Chancellor unveils 50% rates discount for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a 50% discount on business rates for the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors (up to £110,000), equating to a business tax cut worth £1.7bn, the biggest single-year rates cut for firms in over 30 years. Unveiling his latest Budget in the Commons today (27 October),…
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6 OctoberNews
Sustainability increasingly important for consumers, survey finds
Compared to 2019, 22% more consumers said environmental responsibility is very or extremely important when deciding on a brand, according to a recent survey carried out by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBM). IBM, a BRC climate action roadmap partner, surveyed more than 14,000 adults around the world about…
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