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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Apr- 2020 -20 AprilCoronavirus
UK retail footfall plummets in March
UK retail footfall decreased by 44.7% in March due to the mandatory lockdown, according to the latest BRC-ShopperTrak footfall monitor. The report said the figure is a record decline for the industry that saw “unprecedented challenges” during the month as the UK continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic. In the…
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16 AprilCoronavirus
Retail sales decline at ‘worst rate on record’
Retail sales suffered the “worst decline recorded” in March, with a year-on-year total sales decline of 4.3%. The findings come from the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor, which said this is the lowest recorded rate since the monitor first began in January 1995. Its data showed that sales “contrasted sharply”…
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1 AprilCoronavirus
Shop prices slide amid UK lockdown, says BRC
The price of shop goods slipped by 0.8% in March, down from 0.6% the month prior, according to the latest BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index. In the same month, non-food prices fell by 1.9%, which marked the highest rate of decline in non-food prices since May 2018. The lowered prices were…
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Mar- 2020 -18 MarchEconomy
Retail welcomes ‘bold move’ from chancellor to support business
The retail industry has welcomed the “bold move” announced by the chancellor yesterday (17 March), which included announcing a 12-month rent holiday for all retail businesses. Last week in his maiden Budget Speech the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced a one-year rent holiday for all businesses of a rateable value below…
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16 MarchSupermarkets
UK supermarkets appeal for ‘considerate’ spending
British food retailers have written a joint letter urging customers to practice “considerate” spending amid the coronavirus outbreak. The letter was collectively released by such retailers as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Aldi, Lidl and more, and has been published in national newspapers on Sunday (15 March) and today…
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Feb- 2020 -11 FebruaryEconomy
Retailers suffer ‘stuttering start’ to 2020
Retailers saw a slow start to the year as total sales increased by only 0.4% in January, against an increase of 2.2% during the same period last year. According to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor, this is above both the three-month and 12-month average declines of 0.4% and 0.2%…
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Jan- 2020 -23 JanuaryHigh Street
57,000 retail jobs lost in 2019
Some 57,000 retail jobs were shed in 2019, according to the latest retail employment monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). In the fourth quarter of 2019, there was a 1.8% year-on-year decline in full-time retail employees, which equates to the loss of 57,000 jobs since the same period in…
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17 JanuaryHigh Street
Sector calls for action as 115 shop workers attacked every day
The retail sector has called for the government to take greater action in protecting shop staff after the British Retail Consortium (BRC) revealed that 115 attacks take place everyday. The BRC said that following a consultation that closed over six months ago an estimated 21,000 shop workers have been attacked…
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9 JanuaryHigh Street
‘Worst year on record’ for retail, says BRC
Total retail sales decreased by 0.1% in 2019, compared with the 1.2% increase recorded in 2018, making it the “worst year on record” for retail according to the BRC. Helen Dickinson, CEO of the BRC, said this was reflected in the CVAs, shop closures and job losses that the industry…
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Dec- 2019 -3 DecemberHigh Street
Black Friday boosts consumer spending in November
UK retail sales grew in the month of November, according to the latest report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). When factoring in Black Friday, like-for-like sales grew by 0.9%, up from a decline of 4.9% when excluding the sales event from monthly figures. For the period of 27 October…
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