Economy
This coverage explores how economic trends and policies affect the UK retail sector. Reporting focuses on GDP, inflation, consumer confidence, interest rates, and broader fiscal measures, assessing their impact on retail sales, pricing strategies, and operational decisions. Tailored for professionals evaluating market conditions, financial risks, and opportunities within a shifting economic landscape.
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Aug- 2025 -13 AugustComment
It’s time we had a system that stopped taxing retailers as if it were 1599
Our high streets have had a tough time in recent years – battered by a global pandemic, war, energy shocks and soaring inflation. Yet despite it all, shops have kept going – serving their communities, creating jobs, and showing remarkable resilience. But resilience isn’t a plan for growth, and nostalgia…
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12 AugustEconomy
Retail sales up 2.5% in July despite job losses and store closures
Retail sales in the UK rose 2.5% in the four weeks ended 2 August against a growth of 0.5% in July 2024, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). As part of this increase, food sales rose 3.9% year-on-year in July, beating a tough comparative of…
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11 AugustTechnology
Currys to expand its B2B division
Currys is rebranding and expanding its business-to-business (B2B) division in a move to capture a greater share of the UK’s small business technology market. The retailer has relaunched Currys Business and opened three new business hubs in Stevenage, Solihull and Exeter, taking the total to 57 nationwide. A further three…
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7 AugustHigh Street
Specsavers to invest £7m in manufacturing facility
Specsavers has unveiled a “significant” investment in its UK supply chain, with plans to invest £7m over a two year period in its Vision Labs manufacturing facility in Kidderminster. The investment will fund the expansion and upgrade of the Worcestershire site, which produces prescription lenses for more than 900 Specsavers…
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5 AugustShopping Centres
British shoppers drive surge in EU VAT-free spending after UK scheme scrapped
British spending on VAT-free shopping in the European Union (EU) has risen more than fivefold since 2021, as consumers increasingly choose to buy luxury goods abroad rather than in UK stores, according to the Times. New figures from the Association of International Retail (AIR) show that Britons spent £742m in…
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Jul- 2025 -29 JulySupermarkets
M&S launches one-year guarantee on children’s clothing
Marks and Spencer has introduced a one-year quality guarantee on all children’s clothing, becoming the first UK high street retailer to offer such a scheme. The policy, which excludes footwear and accessories, allows customers to claim a full refund within 365 days if items do not meet the retailer’s quality…
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24 JulyEconomy
Consumer confidence dips in July as inflation bites
Consumer confidence dipped in July as inflation and economic contraction weighed on household sentiment, new figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show. According to the BRC-Opinium Consumer Sentiment Monitor, expectations for the UK economy over the next three months fell to -33, down from -28 in June. Forecasts for…
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22 JulySupermarkets
UK food inflation forecast to hit 5.1% this summer
Food inflation in the UK is expected to peak at 5.1% in late summer 2025, outpacing general inflation, according to a report by grocery research group IGD. In its latest Viewpoint report, IGD warned that rising food prices will put further strain on households and businesses as the UK economy…
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21 JulyLuxury Goods
Burberry CEO calls for VAT-free shopping return
Burberry CEO Joshua Schulman has called on the government to reinstate VAT-free shopping for international visitors claiming it will help Britain become Europe’s top shopping destination once again. Schulman told The Times that international consumers were “still not shopping in the UK to the extent that we would like” as…
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16 JulyEconomy
Inflation jumps to 18-month high of 3.6% in June
Inflation unexpectedly increased to a near 18-month high of 3.6% in June, driven by the rising cost of transport and food, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure is the highest recorded since January 2024, when the rate was 4.0%. On a monthly…
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