Budget
This coverage examines the UK government’s seasonal budget announcements and their implications for the retail sector. Reporting focuses on tax changes, business rates, employment policies, and economic forecasts that directly affect retailers, brand managers, and executives. With analysis tailored to commercial strategy, the insights help professionals assess how fiscal policy shapes retail operations, profitability, and investment decisions.
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Mar- 2019 -12 MarchGovernment
Digital Services Tax extended to include 2% ‘Amazon tax’
High streets government minister, Jake Berry, has promised to extend the Digital Services Tax to include a “2% tax on online retail” to save Britain’s high streets. Berry confirmed that the tax, announced at last October’s Autumn Budget, would be extended to online retailers saying if the government cannot secure…
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Feb- 2019 -12 FebruaryHigh Street
West End retailers face £45m rates hike in April
Retailers located in London’s West End are set to face a £45m rates tax increase in April, according to a report by real estate advisor Altus Group. Business rates help announced at the Autumn Budget last year, which promised to slash bills by a third for high street business in…
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Jan- 2019 -28 JanuaryEconomy
Online retail tax could be unlawful under EU rules, Treasury warns
The government has said taxing online giants, like Amazon, through a sales tax could be illegal under EU rules. Under European Union State aid rules it is illegal for EU countries to give financial advantage to some companies and not others in a way which could distort fair competition. The…
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7 JanuarySupermarkets
Aldi posts ‘record’ Christmas sales
Budget supermarket chain Aldi has has reported sales of almost £1bn for the month of December 2018, 10% higher than the previous year. The group said the week commencing 17 December was Aldi’s “busiest-ever in the UK”, and added that the strong sales performance was driven by a “surge in…
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Dec- 2018 -20 DecemberGovernment
MPs launch inquiry into business rates
The Treasury select committee has launched an inquiry into business rates as part of the Housing, Communities and Local Government committee’s wider inquiry into the high street. Chair of the Treasury select committee, Nicky Morgan said the two departments were expected to publish the terms of reference in the new…
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5 DecemberGovernment
Government clarifies details of new business rates relief
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published guidance on the details of how business rates discounts first announced in this year’s Budget will be allocated. During the Budget on 29 October, chancellor Philip Hammond announced that businesses with a rateable value of under £51,000 would receive…
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Nov- 2018 -19 NovemberComment
Digital taxation, and what it means for small retailers
The chancellor’s Budget announcements will have certainly set a few pulses racing in the independent retail sector, for several reasons. Among the measures likely to have piqued the interests of British retailers were a property rates reduction for small businesses, a £675m ‘future high street’ investment plan, and a proposal…
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Oct- 2018 -29 OctoberGovernment
Autumn Budget 2018: Business rates cut for SMEs and new digital services tax
Chancellor Philip Hammond has confirmed plans to give smaller retailers a 33% cut to business rates and introduced a new digital services tax for companies with at least £500m in global revenue. The reduction in rates will take place over the next two years and is expected to save businesses…
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24 OctoberAdvice
Four golden rules for influencer marketing in retail
Influencer marketing has come under fire recently, with some brands publicly moving away from the influencer market and other major companies, like Unilever, calling for more transparency across the board and P&G actively investigating. The fraud risk from fake followers (as much as 78% for the Ritz-Carlton hotel group influencers,…
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18 OctoberEconomy
Retail sector ‘to face £186.45m business rates increase next April’
Retail firms will see business rates increase by £186.45 next April for the year 2019/20, according to real estate advisor Altus Group. September’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation, announced on 17 October at 2.4% will determine business rate rises in England for the next year. It is its…
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