Cost of Living
This coverage examines how the UK’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis is reshaping the retail landscape. Reporting includes the impact of rising operational costs—such as increased National Insurance contributions and higher minimum wages—on retailers’ margins and employment decisions. Additionally, the content highlights shifts in consumer behaviour, with shoppers prioritising value and reducing discretionary spending. The analysis also addresses the broader economic implications, including store closures and job losses, providing insights for retail professionals navigating these challenges.
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May- 2022 -30 MaySupermarkets
Sainsbury’s to invest £500m to help with cost of living crisis
Sainsbury’s price investment is set to top £500m in a bid to help customers amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. It comes as the group said it was aware of rising pressures on household budgets, adding it was determined to “offer low prices and deliver the best possible value…
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13 MayEconomy
John Lewis chair Sharon White calls for cost of living aid package
Chair of the John Lewis Partnership, Dame Sharon White, has urged the government to issue a new aid package to help support consumers through the cost of living crisis on the same scale as Covid relief. Speaking on the Peston Show on ITV, White said “the time has absolutely come”…
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11 MayEconomy
Rising cost of living dents April retail sales
Retail sales decreased by 0.3% in April compared with the year prior, marking the first decline in 15 months as the rising cost of living starts to affect shoppers’ spending habits. According to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG’s retail sales monitor covering the four…
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10 MayClothing & Shoes
Cost of living crisis begins to hamper consumer spending
Spending on essential items dropped to 18.1% in April, compared to 17.4% in March, as inflation and rising living costs are starting to impact the retail sector. Research from Barclaycard found this was largely due to spending on fuel falling from a record 26.1% increase last month to 23% in…
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Apr- 2022 -25 AprilSupermarkets
Asda invests £73m to tackle cost of living crisis
Asda has announced it will be investing over £73m in tackling the cost of living crisis for its customers and colleagues as it has “dropped and locked” the price of over 100 products until the end of the year, with prices reducing 12% on average. The supermarket has also confirmed…
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22 AprilEconomy
Retail sales tumble amid cost of living crisis
Retail sales fell by 1.4% last month as consumers reduced their spending amid the cost of living crisis. This marked a much steeper decline than the fall of 0.5% reported in February 2022, revised from a previous fall of 0.3%. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the biggest…
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12 AprilSupermarkets
M&S commits to lower prices amid cost of living crisis
M&S has committed to lowering the prices of everyday products in a bid to ease the pressure of the unfolding cost of living crisis. The retailer is set to lower prices within its Remarksable range, with a focus on everyday staples, including semi-skimmed milk, sliced bread, beef mince, spaghetti and…
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Feb- 2022 -16 FebruaryEconomy
Inflation hits 30-year high amid rising cost of living
Inflation rose by 5.5% in the 12 months to January 2022, up from 5.4% in December 2021, marking the highest annual inflation rate since May 1992. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the largest upward contributions to the change in the inflation rate between December 2021 and January…
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