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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Jul- 2024 -17 JulyGovernment
Starmer vows to ‘make work pay’ in King’s Speech
The new Labour government has outlined its main goals for the new parliament as part of the King’s Speech today (17 July) with a central focus of “ improving living standards for working people through economic growth”. Key points outlined in the speech, read by the King but written by…
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11 JulyEconomy
UK economy beats expectations as GDP jumps 0.4%
UK gross domestic product (GDP) beat expectations in May, increasing 0.4%, as a result of better weather, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). An unseasonably wet April dented consumer sentiment and hurt construction leading to the slight increase. Construction grew at the fastest rate in almost…
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Jun- 2024 -26 JuneNews
New West End appoints new communications and campaigns director
New West End Company, the business partnership representing 600 UK and international retailers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, galleries, and property owners, has announced the appointment of Nathan Parsad-Wyatt as director of communications and campaigns. In this newly established role, he will report to chief executive Dee Corsi, focusing on strategic communications while…
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May- 2024 -30 MayHigh Street
Clarks falls to £40m loss
Clarks has revealed that it posted a loss of £39.8m for the year ended 31 December 2023, down from a profit of £35.9m in 2022. The company has put this down to a number of one-off costs in 2023 including £4.6m on restructuring. This also includes a £3m increase in…
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29 MayAdvice
The Role of Retail Investors in the Stock Market
Opportunities abound in the stock market, and being a retail investor is one way to benefit. Retail investors have been dubbed an integral part of the financial market, and this guide examines their role. Who Is a Retail Investor? A retail investor is an individual who trades financial assets with…
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7 MayHigh Street
Retail sales fall 4% in April
UK total retail sales decreased by 4% YOY in April, against a growth of 5.1% in April 2023, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. This was below the 3-month average growth of 0.5% and the 12-month average growth of 2.2%. However, when correcting for the distortion created by…
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Feb- 2024 -21 FebruaryDepartment Stores
Angling Direct sees group revenues rise to £81.7m
Fishing tackle retailer Angling Direct has reported a 10.2% increase in revenue to £81.7m for the year ended 31 January 2024, despite facing a “challenging” consumer landscape and disruption to fishing caused by storms in the final few weeks of FY24. The group’s UK store sales were up 7.6% to…
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15 FebruaryNews
Today’s news in brief-15/2/24
The UK has entered a technical recession as its GDP contracted by 0.3% in the final quarter of 2023. This marks the first recession since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The decline in GDP was larger than expected, with key sectors like manufacturing, construction, and wholesale experiencing significant downturns.…
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6 FebruaryEconomy
Retail sales slow as high cost of living enters third year
UK total retail sales increased by 1.2% year on year for the four weeks ended 27 January 2023, compared with a growth of 4.2% in January 2023, according to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This was above the three-month average growth of 1.9% and below the 12-month average…
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Jan- 2024 -11 JanuarySupermarkets
M&S ‘top performing’ grocer over Christmas period
M&S has revealed that it was the top performing grocer in volume growth terms over the Christmas period and the quarter, as food sales rose 10.5%, with like-for-like sales up 9.9%. According to the retailer, supply chain improvements helped to drive better availability year-on-year in its supermarkets. Clothing and home…
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