Government
This coverage examines government actions, policies, and regulations affecting the UK retail industry. Reporting highlights legislation, consultations, economic measures, and public statements with direct implications for retail operations, employment, taxation, and consumer behaviour. Tailored for executives and managers, it offers analysis to support strategic planning and compliance in a changing regulatory and economic environment.
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Mar- 2024 -25 MarchEconomy
Scottish retailers’ rates bills to rise by £31m, the SRC says
Shops in Scotland will see their annual business rates bills rise by £31m from next week, the Scottish Retail Consortium announced. The change follows the decision in the Scottish Government’s Budget to increase the business rate for firms occupying 22,120 medium-sized and larger commercial premises by 6.7% in 2024-25. This…
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18 MarchFeatures
10 regulations every retailer must follow
Operating a retail business in the UK entails complying with a comprehensive set of laws and regulations to ensure legal compliance, protect consumers, and uphold ethical standards. From consumer rights to employment regulations, understanding and adhering to these laws is crucial for retailers to thrive in the UK market. Here…
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7 MarchEconomy
Budget will ‘do nothing to turbocharge investment’, says BRC
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has stated that the latest Budget announcement will “do nothing to turbocharge investment and growth in communities”. This comes after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed his Spring Budget without many big giveaways for retail businesses. Hunt resisted calls from business leaders to reduce business rates, reintroduce…
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5 MarchFeatures
What are the effects of VAT taxes on the tourism industry?
The term “tourism tax” has recently been used to refer to taxes imposed on goods and services supplied to international tourists. Up until 31 December 2020, VAT-free shopping enabled international visitors in the UK to get a VAT refund on goods purchased in the UK, making them 20% cheaper. Recently,…
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4 MarchDepartment Stores
M&S CEO calls for business rates and apprenticeship levy reform
M&S CEO Stuart Machin has publicly called for Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to introduce reforms to business rates and the apprenticeship levy in his upcoming budget. In a post on LinkedIn, Machin stated that the government must do more to understand the importance of retail. He has urged the chancellor to…
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4 MarchClothing & Shoes
Retail records fifth consecutive month of negative sales, BDO finds
Total in-store and online sales have dropped -1.3% in February, marking the fifth consecutive month of negative sales results, according to new data from BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker. BDO’s data, which looks at sales across discretionary spend categories, showed that despite online sales growing by +2.9% compared with last…
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Feb- 2024 -27 FebruaryNews
Asda’s mean Gender Pay difference hits 6.6%
Asda has today (27 February) published its 2023 Gender Pay figures, confirming that the mean pay difference between all male and female workers is 6.6%. In a report submitted to the Government’s Gender Pay website, the supermarket also revealed that the median pay difference between all male and female colleagues…
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19 FebruaryFeatures
Why are many big brands going into administration?
2023 has been a tough year for the United Kingdom’s economy — and economic challenges have widely been echoed particularly in the retail sector, with profile retail giants such as Wilko going bust after efforts to rescue the company failed. In the footsteps of last year’s events, it appears that…
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16 FebruaryHigh Street
NWEC calls for return to tax-free shopping as tourist spending gap widens
The New West End Company (NWEC) has called for the return of tax-free shopping as the gap between the number of international visitors in London and the spending associated with them widened in the final quarter of last year. According to the latest figures released by NWEC, despite a recovery…
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14 FebruaryGovernment
Abuse of retail workers almost doubles to 1,300 incidents a day
Violence and abuse against retail workers jumped almost 50% as the number of incidents rose to 1,300 per day in 2022/23 from almost 870 per day the year before, according to data from the British Retail Consortium. This rise comes despite retailers investing heavily in crime prevention, spending £1.2bn on…
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