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.
-
Oct- 2019 -31 OctoberEconomy
Treasury Committee urges MPs to reform ‘broken’ business rates
The government has been urged to fix the “broken” business rates system as it is continuing to affect high street retailers, a Treasury committee has said. An influential group of MPs has asked the government to examine alternatives to property tax, which puts more pressure on high street retailers than…
Read More » -
30 OctoberEconomy
Shop prices decrease again in October
Shop price deflation decelerated to 0.4% in October from -0.6% in September, according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The results are below the 12- and six-month average price changes of 0.2% and -0.2%, respectively. Additionally, non-Food deflation decelerated to 1.5% in October, from -1.7% in September,…
Read More » -
24 OctoberPeople Moves
85,000 retail jobs lost in the last year
Third-quarter retail employment fell by 2.8% year-on-year, the equivalent of around 85,000 jobs, marking the 15th consecutive quarter of decline in the retail workforce. According to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), full-time employment saw a decrease of 4.5% compared to the decrease in part-time employees of…
Read More » -
18 OctoberEconomy
Retail footfall plummets as autumn begins
Footfall in non-food stores fell by 9.9% year-on-year in September, according to the Retail Traffic Index published by Ipsos Retail Performance. Compared with August, the average weekly footfall in the month fell by -7.3%. Additionally, the number of shoppers visiting the high street in London and the south east continued…
Read More » -
15 OctoberEconomy
BRC ‘disappointed’ with business rates relief in Queen’s speech
The British Retail Consortium has responded to the Queen’s speech, praising its approach to crime and sustainability but was “surprised and disappointed” at its approach to business rates. Commenting on the speech, which tackled issues such as immigration, crime, business rates and brexit, The BRC said: “The Government should implement…
Read More » -
14 OctoberHigh Street
Retail footfall slumps 10% over last seven years
Retail footfall has dropped by 10% in the last seven years, according to the latest footfall figures from the BRC and Springboard. It comes amid another month of declining footfall, as the number of shoppers visiting high streets stores dropped by 1.7% in September, compared with the same point last…
Read More » -
11 OctoberEconomy
Brexit concerns lead to slump in retail spending in September
Concerns over a no-deal Brexit led to a decrease in consumer spending in September, according to new figures from the BRC. On a total basis, sales decreased by 1.3% in the five weeks to 28 September 2019, against an increase of 0.7% during the same period last year. This is…
Read More » -
2 OctoberHigh Street
Shop prices fall by 0.6%, fastest rate since May 2018
Shop prices in September have fallen at the fastest since May 2018, according to the latest figures from the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index. The index found September shop prices fell by 0.6% compared with a 0.4% decrease in August. This is the highest rate of decline since May 2018. Non-Food…
Read More » -
Sep- 2019 -9 SeptemberClothing & Shoes
Footfall drops off in late summer
Footfall continued its decline over the late summer, recording a 1.3% decline for the four week period to 24 August. According to the latest BRC-Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor, the latest decline is compared with 1.6% drop for the same period last year. High street footfall declined by 1.9%, following…
Read More » -
3 SeptemberHigh Street
Retail sales ‘flatline’ as discounting and poor footfall ‘hit hard’
Retail sales “flatlined” in August according to the BRC-KPMG sales monitor, as summer discounting and “poor” footfall hitting in-store sales “particularly hard”. On a total basis, sales were found to be flat in August, against an increase of 1.3% in August 2018. This is above the 3-month average of -0.4%…
Read More »
