Labour Market
This coverage examines the UK labour market as it pertains to retail operations. Reporting includes wage trends, hiring challenges, staffing strategies, staff training and retention, and regulatory changes — all analysed for their impact on store performance, service quality, and workforce planning. The content is tailored for retail HR managers, operations directors, and executives overseeing staff strategy and cost control.
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Aug- 2025 -14 AugustEconomy
UK quarterly GDP beats expectations despite slowdown
UK GDP grew 0.3% in the three months to June, behind the 0.7% it grew in the first quarter, as a result of US tariffs and higher business costs, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, it is better than expected growth as economists polled by…
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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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7 AugustEconomy
BoE cuts interest rates to 4%
The Bank of England (BoE) has cut interest rates to 4%, down from the previous rate of 4.25%, marking the fifth rate cut since last year’s peak of 5.25%. At its meeting today (7 August), the bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 5 to 4 to…
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Jul- 2025 -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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Feb- 2025 -13 FebruarySupermarkets
Tesco commits to 1,500 apprenticeships by 2027
Tesco has pledged to expand its Stronger Starts Apprenticeship programme, providing 1,500 apprenticeship opportunities for young people by 2027, following National Apprenticeship Week. The initiative comes as part of Tesco’s ongoing efforts to help tackle the challenge of youth unemployment in England and remove the barriers many young people face…
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Nov- 2024 -7 NovemberEconomy
Bank of England cuts interest rates to 4.75%
The Bank of England has cut interest rates for the second time this year, with rates now cut to 4.75%. The bank voted by a majority of 8–1 to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.75%. One member preferred to maintain the previous rate of 5%. It had previously…
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Aug- 2024 -1 AugustEconomy
BoE cuts interest rates for first time in 4 years
The Bank of England (BoE) has cut interest rates for the first time in four years, with the rate falling to 5%. The bank voted by a majority of 5–4 to reduce the rate by 0.25 percentage points to 5%, marking the first fall in inflation since March 2020, where…
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May- 2024 -29 MayEconomy
Retail sales recover as inflation slows, CBI finds
Retail sales grew at their fastest pace since December 2022 in the year to May, as sales volumes jumped 8% to -44%, according to the latest CBI Distributive Trades Survey. Furthermore, the CBI said it comes as selling price inflation in the retail sector “eased considerably” in May, from 20%…
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Dec- 2023 -14 DecemberNews
Retailers urge government to reform Apprenticeship Levy
Three leading trade bodies and seven food retailers are calling for urgent action to reform the broken Apprenticeship Levy system and address the “critical and persistent” labour shortages in the food supply chains. In a letter sent to the government, the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the National Farmers Union (NFU)…
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Nov- 2023 -13 NovemberNews
Today’s news in brief-13/11/23
Retail theft is projected to cost UK retailers £7.9bn in 2023, with a notable increase in employee theft. Thruvision Group plc and Retail Economics conducted the research, revealing that shoppers contribute to 60% of the theft (£4.7bn), while employees, particularly in distribution centres, contribute 40% (£3.2bn). Employee theft in DCs…
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