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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Aug- 2019 -12 AugustHigh Street
Shop vacancies at highest rate in four years
The number of vacant stores across the UK’s high streets has hit the highest level in over four years. According to the latest figures from Springboard and the BRC footfall and vacancies monitor, the national town centre vacancy rate was 10.3% in July, a slight increase on the previous quarters…
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6 AugustHigh Street
July consumer spending hits record low
UK consumer spending in the month of July fell to a record low despite the good weather, according to the latest statistics from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG. On a total basis, sales increased by 0.3% in July, against an increase of 1.6% the previous year, it is…
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Jul- 2019 -12 JulyOnline & Digital
Government to go ahead with UK digital services tax
The UK government has announced plans to go ahead with a digital services tax aimed at large tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook and Google. The news comes on the same day that the US government threatened to impose tariffs on France over a similar tax levy. The 2% tax,…
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2 JulyAnalysis
How to make the most of empty retail spaces
Earlier in this month, The Times reported that the number of vacant shops on UK high streets rose by more than 7,500 last year, fuelled in part by store closures from large retailers such as Mothercare, New Look and House of Fraser. Debenhams then announced that it will downsize at…
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Jun- 2019 -18 JuneClothing & Shoes
Gov rejects MPs’ sustainable fashion recommendations
The government has rejected all the recommendations made by the Environmental Audit Committee (ECA) in February with the aim to “end the era of throwaway fashion”. The MPs published its report called Fixing Fashion Report: Clothing Consumption and Sustainability following the end of its sustainability of the fashion industry inquiry.…
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17 JuneEconomy
20,000 shops gone from high street since 2010
Since 2010 more than 20,000 shops have “disappeared” from high streets and the communities that they once served, according to the real estate advisor, Altus Group. Analysis of official government data by Altus Group revealed that between 2010 and 2019, 20,143 shops in England and Wales – liable for business…
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May- 2019 -30 MayEconomy
Shop price inflation pushed up by non-food price rises
Shop price inflation increased by 0.8% year-on-year in May, with non-food inflation also increasing by 0.2%, according to the latest figures from the BRC and Nielsen. The BRC said the growth in May was the second highest inflation rate seen in the last six years, though it remains “well below”…
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17 MayComment
How Making Tax Digital is going to help the retail sector
Shop closures are an all too familiar scene. A recent study by The Guardian found that English and Welsh town centres have lost 8% of their shops on average since 2013 (equating to 40 shops per town centre). While the sector is riding the waves of a storm, the digitisation…
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8 MayEconomy
Retail sales ‘below expectation’ in April
Retail sales fell below expectations in April, despite a total sales increase of 4.1% against the decrease of 3.1% the previous year, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. This was due to figures being “distorted” by the timing of the run-up to Easter, which was in April this…
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Apr- 2019 -4 AprilAnalysis
Securing the future of the UK high street
UK High Streets have reached a ‘tipping point’. That was the view of a recently published parliamentary inquiry report on UK high streets. The shift to online sales (now accounting for 20% of all retail sales); the upward revaluation of business rates, previous planning policies; and local authority financing constraints…
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