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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Feb- 2019 -27 FebruaryEconomy
Shop price inflation hits six-year high
Shop price inflation increased by 0.7% in February, up from 0.4% in January, and is the highest inflation rate since March 2013. According to the BRC, non-food prices rose by 0.2% year-on-year during the month, compared with the January decrease of 0.2%. Additionally, food inflation rose slightly to 1.6%, up…
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21 FebruarySupply Chain
UK and Ireland retailers warn of no-deal tariffs
With just 36 days until the UK leaves the EU the leading retail bodies in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom have said a no-deal Brexit could have “devastating consequences”. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) and Retail Ireland have issued a joint statement highlighting…
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20 FebruaryGovernment
Retailers ‘trying to water down’ bottle deposit scheme
Environmental groups have accused retailers of trying to ignore calls for a catch-all deposit of more than 15p on plastic drinks containers. The deposit scheme is currently being discussed by ministers who are trying to decide which bottle sizes would be included in the plans. Environmentalists say both large and…
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18 FebruaryGovernment
BRC hits out at HMRC over ‘unreasonable’ pay rules
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has demanded HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ceases action against retailers who have breached pay rules deemed “no longer fit for purpose” by the trade body. Retailers called the minimum wage regulations and chasing from the taxman “unreasonable” while the regulations are under review by…
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14 FebruaryEconomy
UK inflation hits two-year low in January
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate fell to 1.8% in January 2019, down from 2.1% in December 2018, according to the latest figures from the ONS. This fell below the Bank of England’s inflation target of 2% for the month, with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) also decreasing to…
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11 FebruaryHigh Street
High street vacancies on the rise, retail data shows
The national town centre vacancy rate was 9.9% in January 2019, up from 8.9% a year earlier This is according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard that also found retail footfall dropped a further 0.7% in January – although this was a lesser decline…
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5 FebruaryEconomy
Retail sales pick up in January
UK retail sales saw year-on-year growth of 2.2% in January following December’s report of the worst trading performance in a decade. According to the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Retail Sales Monitor, like-for-like sales saw an increase of 1.8% compared with the same month last year. Food items did well with…
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Jan- 2019 -30 JanuaryEconomy
January shop price inflation highest since 2013
Shop price inflation increased to 0.4% in January, up from 0.3% in December 2018 – the fourth consecutive month of price increases and the highest inflation rate since April 2013. According to the figures from the BRC-Nielsen shop price index, non-food deflation continued to decelerate, with prices falling by 0.3%…
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29 JanuaryAnalysis
The UK’s high street woes
There are few sectors where the effects of the faltering UK economy have been more starkly visible than the retail sector. It seems that every day the media presents another story about a high street name facing financial difficulty. There are a multitude of factors playing into the softening consumer…
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24 JanuaryPeople Moves
Around 70,000 retail jobs lost in Q4, report finds
The total number of employees working in retail was down 2.2%, equivalent to around 70,000 jobs, on Q4 2017 an industry report has found. The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Retail Employment Monitor also found that reductions in hours similar for full-time and part-time contracts as total hours fell by 2.8%.…
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