Economic Growth
This coverage reviews UK economic growth trends and their impact on the retail sector, focusing on consumer spending, GDP indicators, inflation, and regional performance. Reporting examines how macroeconomic shifts shape retail investment, pricing strategies, and store expansion decisions—offering insights for retail executives, CFOs, and business leaders navigating market cycles and strategic planning.
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Aug- 2025 -27 AugustSupermarkets
Lidl invests £435m in warehouses network
Lidl GB has completed a major expansion of its Belvedere warehouse in London and begun work on a new site in Leeds, as part of wider plans to grow its UK store network. The discount supermarket has invested £285m in a two-stage development at Belvedere. The first phase, costing £160m,…
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13 AugustEconomy
Number of retail job vacancies lower than pre-pandemic, ONS finds
The number of job vacancies in the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles category fell by 10,000 in Q2, the highest volume decrease of any category, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This category also has 37,000 fewer vacancies than its…
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7 AugustEconomy
BoE cuts interest rates to 4%
The Bank of England (BoE) has cut interest rates to 4%, down from the previous rate of 4.25%, marking the fifth rate cut since last year’s peak of 5.25%. At its meeting today (7 August), the bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 5 to 4 to…
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Jul- 2025 -16 JulySupermarkets
Sainsbury’s boss hails government food security plan
Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts has welcomed the government’s Good Food Cycle plan which aims to build a “thriving food sector”. The government has described the plan as “a recipe aimed at driving a generational change in the nation’s relationship with food”. The new initiative focuses on ten priority outcomes which…
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Jun- 2025 -20 JuneHigh Street
Retail sales see sharpest monthly fall since December 2023
Retail sales volumes fell by 2.7% in May, according to the latest retail sales figures from the ONS, marking the sharpest monthly decline since December 2023. The fall followed a revised 1.3% rise in April and was driven largely by reduced spending in food stores and weaker sales of clothing…
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17 JuneHigh Street
Oxford Street pedestrianisation gets go-ahead
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has revealed that the planned pedestrianisation of Oxford Street has been given the green light. The mayor’s office stated that its consultation showed that around seven in 10 back the Oxford Street transformation plans, with two-thirds specifically supporting the idea of pedestrianisation. Alongside this, major…
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12 JuneEconomy
Retailers welcome £2bn police boost but urge for more action
Retail trade bodies have welcomed the £2bn funding boost for police forces in England and Wales, but cautioned that the investment alone will not be enough to tackle rising levels of high street crime. It comes as Rachel Reeves announced in yesterday’s Spending Review (11 June) that the police’s spending…
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9 JuneHigh Street
One in 10 part-time retail jobs at risk by 2028, warns BRC
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that around 160,000, or more than one in 10, part-time retail roles are in danger of being lost over the next three years. The warning follows a new report published by the BRC which lays bare the threats to retail employment, which has…
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5 JuneEconomy
Consumer confidence hasn’t recovered since Brexit vote, Barclays finds
Consumer confidence reached its highest point in the past 10 years in September 2016, at 48%, just after the Brexit referendum, according to Barclays’ “10 Years of Spend” report. Barclays has been tracking consumer confidence monthly since 2015 and also surveyed 2000 people in the UK for the report, which…
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May- 2025 -28 MayProperty
John Lewis wins approval for West Ealing housing plans
The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) has been successful in its planning appeal to redevelop Waitrose West Ealing and build hundreds of new homes. A government planning inspector confirmed the plans had been given the go ahead after JLP submitted an appeal in summer 2024 on the grounds of a “non-determination”. …
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