Helen Dickinson
This coverage follows Helen Dickinson’s leadership and contributions to the UK retail industry. Reporting includes her public statements, policy advocacy, industry insights, and role in shaping retail strategies and government relations. Designed for senior retail professionals and decision-makers, it offers context on her influence over regulatory developments, sector challenges, and opportunities affecting retail operations and management.
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May- 2021 -26 MayGovernment
BRC calls for increased protection as shop worker abuse jumps 7%
The BRC is continuing to push the government for a “statutory offence” for assaulting, threatening, or abusing retail workers, after staff report on average 455 incidents of violence and abuse each day. A study, which was conducted by the group as part of its ‘2021 Retail Crime Survey’, showed that…
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13 MayHigh Street
Retail sales up by 7.3% in April after reopening
Retail sales increased substantially between 4 April and 1 May 2021, around the time non-essential retail was allowed to reopen, compared to April 2019, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG’s survey of retailers in the UK. Due to 2020 being a “turbulent time” for the sector, BRC…
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6 MayCoronavirus
Retail workers suffer worst mental health of any employee group
Retail staff in the UK are currently suffering among the worst mental wellbeing of any employee group, according to the industry charity retailTrust. The survey of nearly 1,300 retail employees revealed their average wellbeing levels are much lower than in people who work in other industries, with 84% of workers…
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Apr- 2021 -30 AprilEconomy
One in seven retail units remain vacant, says BRC
Retail vacancies in the UK have increased across all shopping destinations, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Local Data Company’s (LDC) Vacancy Monitor. The trade association’s data revealed that one in seven of the country’s retail shops remain empty due to the pandemic. In the first quarter of…
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28 AprilEconomy
Shop prices fall in April as non-essential retailers reopen
UK shop prices continued to drop in April as non-essential retailers reopened after lockdown, according to the BRC-Nielsen shop price index. In order to entice consumers, retailers decreased shop prices by 1.3% over the period, compared to the previous drop of 2.4% in March. However, the fall in non-food prices…
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16 AprilPeople Moves
Retail leaders join forces with retailTRUST to support workers’ wellbeing
Over 20 retail leaders and experts have joined forces with industry charity retailTRUST to champion the health and wellbeing of its workforce next month following the reopening of non-essential shops across the UK. Morrisons’s chief executive David Potts will be among those taking part in retailTRUST’s ‘Championing the health of…
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14 AprilHigh Street
Grocery sales boost retail figures in March
New research has found that grocery sales have boosted overall retail sales in March, despite many categories remaining in decline due to the pandemic. According to KPMG and the British Retail Consortium (BRC)’s retail sales monitor, total retail sales rose by 8.3% in March compared to the same period in…
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9 AprilHigh Street
Total UK footfall decreases by 69%, BRC tracker finds
Total UK footfall decreased by 68.7% in March (Yo2Y), marking only a 4.9% improvement from February, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) Sensormatic tracker. The data, which covered the five weeks from 28 February to 3 April 2021, showed that the footfall drop in March was above the…
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8 AprilHigh Street
Retailers rally behind hospitality and reject Covid status certificates
Retailers have rallied behind pubs and clubs in their rejection of Covid status certificates, according to The Guardian. The news follows on from the announcement made by the prime minister last Sunday to confirm the reopening of shops in England from 12 April 2021. In his announcement, Boris Johnson suggested…
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Mar- 2021 -25 MarchHigh Street
Over 50 retailers pledge to improve diversity
Over 50 retailers have signed up to a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) charter led by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and pledged to take “decisive action” to improve diversity practices across the retail industry. The businesses said they will focus on oversight, recruitment, progression, reporting, inclusivity and responsibility. They pledge…
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