Chancellor
This coverage examines how the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s policies and fiscal decisions influence the UK retail industry. Retail Sector reports on Budget announcements, tax reforms, business rates, wage policies, and economic measures that affect retailers’ operating costs, investment strategies, and consumer spending power. Coverage includes expert analysis, industry reactions, and commentary on how government policy impacts supply chains, employment, and the broader retail economy. For retail professionals, this category delivers essential insight into the financial and regulatory environment shaping strategic planning and performance across the sector.
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Nov- 2025 -7 NovemberEntertainment
Footfall drops for sixth consecutive month as shoppers await Budget impact
Retail footfall across the UK fell by 0.7% year on year in October, marking the sixth consecutive monthly decline as shoppers remained wary ahead of a possible tax-raising Budget, according to new BRC-Sensormatic Solutions data. Although footfall continued to remain down, the four-week period to 1 November showed an improvement…
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6 NovemberEconomy
BoE holds interest rates at 4% ahead of Budget
The Bank of England (BoE) has voted to keep interest rates steady at 4% ahead of the upcoming Budget announcement on 26 November. The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of five to four to maintain the rate, with four members voting to reduce it by 0.25…
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4 NovemberLuxury Goods
Mulberry boss calls on govt to scrap tourist tax
Mulberry CEO Andrea Baldo has called on the government to consider scrapping the tourist tax as it looks to increase growth in the economy. Baldo told The Telegraph that reintroducing tax-free shopping for tourists would “be beneficial for the economy”. He also believes that it would help luxury manufacturers such…
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Oct- 2025 -28 OctoberHigh Street
Rates hike threatens 500 big high street outlets, trade bodies warn
UKHospitality and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have called on the government to exempt hospitality and retail outlets from a proposed business rates surcharge that would apply to 5,000 high street properties with a rateable value above £500,000. The trade bodies warned that around 500 premises could be at risk…
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28 OctoberEconomy
Shop price inflation slows to 1% in October amid retailer discounting
Shop price inflation eased to 1.0% year on year in October, down from 1.4% in September, as competition led to widespread discounting, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) figures. The rate was marginally below the three-month average of 1.1%. It comes as Non-food prices fell by 0.4% year…
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27 OctoberSupermarkets
Supermarkets urge chancellor to drop new rates surtax
Nine of Britain’s biggest supermarket chains have called on chancellor Rachel Reeves to exclude large retail stores from the government’s proposed business rates surtax, warning it would add pressure to food prices. The letter, organised by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), was signed by the heads of Aldi, Asda, Iceland,…
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24 OctoberEconomy
Retail sales improve as good weather drives clothing sales
UK retail sales rose 0.5% in September as a result of a 1.5% increase in non-store retailing and a 1.2% increase in household goods, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. The rise in total sales in September was the fourth consecutive month of increase as volumes reached…
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24 OctoberEconomy
Consumer confidence edges up as shoppers prepare for Black Friday
Consumer confidence in the UK rose two points to -17 in October, according to the latest GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer, with four measures up and one down compared with September as buying sentiment was lifted by early retail sales events. The monthly survey found that consumers were more positive about…
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22 OctoberEconomy
Inflation holds steady at 3.8% in September
Inflation remained unchanged in September for the third month in a row, as the Consumer Price Index rose by 3.8%, with food prices easing over the period. The September, August and July 2025 figures have been the joint-highest recorded since January 2024, when the rate was 4.0%. Transport made the…
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21 OctoberSupermarkets
M&S chief urges chancellor to reconsider tax policy ahead of Budget
Marks and Spencer chief executive Stuart Machin has urged chancellor Rachel Reeves to “change course” on economic policy ahead of next month’s Budget, warning that persistent tax rises risk trapping the UK in a “doom loop” of weak growth. Writing in The Times, Machin described the government’s fiscal approach as…
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