National Living Wage
This coverage explores the implications of the National Living Wage for UK retailers, including its impact on staffing costs, operational decisions, and workforce management. Reporting highlights wage policy changes, employer responses, legal obligations, and strategies to balance compliance with commercial performance — providing insight for retail executives, HR managers, and business owners navigating wage legislation.
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Oct- 2024 -31 OctoberEconomy
Budget reaction: Retail warns that higher costs will hamper investment
The retail industry has warned that increased costs following the Autumn Budget may hit businesses hard, with retailers facing higher costs amid new measures that come into place next April, with some warning the sector will face over £2.5bn in new costs in 2025.Yesterday, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a series…
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30 OctoberEconomy
Budget: Increases to employers’ NI and minimum wage
The chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased Employers’ National Insurance contributions in a bid to help raise as much as £40bn in taxes, pledging to also boost long-term growth and “mark an end to short term-ism” as part of Labour’s first budget since it came into power. Employers’ national insurance contributions…
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29 OctoberHigh Street
New Look pre-tax losses narrow despite fall in FY sales
New Look has reported that its pre-tax losses narrowed from £87.8m to £21.7m for the year to 30 March, despite sales dropping 8.9% to £769.2m due to store closures and “tough” trading conditions. During the period, New Look saw retail revenues fall by 11.5% to £555.1m, which was impacted by…
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Sep- 2024 -24 SeptemberNews
Today’s news in brief-24/9/24
Harrods has launched an internal investigation to determine if any current staff were involved in allegations of rape and sexual assault made against its former owner, Mohamed Al Fayed. The inquiry follows a BBC documentary and podcast titled Predator at Harrods, which detailed claims made by multiple women who worked…
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24 SeptemberHigh Street
Card Factory HY profits fall 43% amid rising wages
Card Factory has reported that adjusted profits before tax fell by 43% to £14.5m in the six-month period to 31 July, due to “substantial” increases in National Living Wage as well as freight inflation and the phasing of strategic investments. This comes despite group revenues rising by 4.9% to £238m…
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Jul- 2024 -2 JulyNews
Today’s news in brief-2/7/24
Shop price inflation in the UK saw a significant slowdown in June, dropping to 0.2% from 0.6% in May, marking the lowest rate since October 2021. This decline was driven by a 1% decrease in non-food prices and a deceleration in food inflation to 2.5%. Helen Dickinson of the BRC…
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2 JulyClothing & Shoes
Shoe Zone posts profit warning amid continued cost pressures
Shoe Zone has reported that it now expects adjusted profits before tax to be “no less than” £10m for the year ending on 2 October, due to continued cost pressures. The announcement elaborates on the shoe retailer’s 12 March AGM Statement, which also maintained that Shoe Zone continued to experience…
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Jun- 2024 -25 JuneNews
Disposable income for low-earning households hits 3-year high, Asda finds
Disposable income for low-earning households hit a near three-year high in May, following a 12.6% increase year-on-year, Asda’s income tracker has revealed. Despite this increase, budgets for these families remain under pressure in real terms, as their take home pay was still not enough to cover bills and essential spending,…
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May- 2024 -21 MayNews
Today’s news in brief-21/5/24
Zuber Issa is poised to acquire the UK arm of EG Group, a move indicating the Issa brothers’ business paths are diverging. This acquisition excludes Cooplands bakery, certain Starbucks outlets, and EG’s electric vehicle charging business, Evpoint, with the deal expected to conclude by late June. Additionally, Zuber Issa is…
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21 MayClothing & Shoes
Shoe Zone profits remain flat amid rise in revenues
Shoe Zone has reported that its adjusted profit before tax remained flat at £2.5m for the 26 weeks to 30 March 2024, as the business was affected by costs relating to increase in National Living Wage, shipping delays due to disruptions in the Middle East and its store strategy. However,…
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