Unemployment
This coverage explores unemployment trends and their implications for the UK retail industry, providing analysis of labour market data, policy changes, and regional employment patterns. Reporting highlights how shifts in unemployment rates affect consumer spending, retail recruitment, operational planning, and workforce strategy — offering insights for executives, managers, and HR professionals navigating staffing challenges and responding to economic pressures.
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Nov- 2025 -20 NovemberClothing & Shoes
JD Sports warns of future volatility despite Q3 sales rise
JD Sports has seen total Q3 sales rise by 8.1%, but has warned that volatility and rising unemployment may hit its full-year profits. In the UK, like-for-like sales were down by 3.3% amid a “tough consumer backdrop and unseasonably warmer weather” in September, which hit apparel sales and the group’s Outdoors…
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13 NovemberEconomy
UK economy slows to 0.1% in third quarter
The UK’s economic growth slowed to 0.1% in the third quarter, falling short of expectations from City analysts and the Bank of England (BoE). The Office for National Statistics said monthly output slipped 0.1% in September, with earlier figures for July and August revised down. The data arrives ahead of…
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Oct- 2025 -13 OctoberSupermarkets
M&S calls on gov to tackle youth unemployment
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has urged the government to work more closely with businesses to help reduce youth unemployment, whilst calling for National Insurance relief for employers who hire long-term unemployed or disadvantaged young people. M&S has also renewed calls for reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to allow companies greater…
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Sep- 2025 -23 SeptemberHigh Street
BRC warns food inflation could stay above 5% until 2026
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that food inflation could remain above 5% well into 2026 if the retail industry faces further tax rises in the Autumn Budget. The trade body said around 4,000 large shops could see higher bills under a government proposal to impose a new business…
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16 SeptemberEconomy
Retail jobs hit record low, ONS data shows
The wholesale, retail and repair of motor vehicles sector lost over 61,000 payrolled employees since August 2024, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. Alongside this, the median pay for this sector was £2084 per month in August 2025, below the UK median of £2568. Furthermore,…
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2 SeptemberClothing & Shoes
Levi’s UK warns rising ‘anti-Americanism’ could damage brand
Levi’s UK has warned that a risk of “rising Anti-Americanism” in light of Trump Tariffs and US governmental policies could drive consumers away from US brands and dent its sales in the UK. In its latest filings on Companies House, the group said that consumers may develop an “increasing willingness”…
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Aug- 2025 -13 AugustEconomy
Number of retail job vacancies lower than pre-pandemic, ONS finds
The number of job vacancies in the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles category fell by 10,000 in Q2, the highest volume decrease of any category, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This category also has 37,000 fewer vacancies than its…
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Sep- 2023 -12 SeptemberEconomy
Wage growth starts to outpace rate of inflation
Pay growth has caught up with the rate of inflation for the first time in nearly two years, as wages surged at a record rate in the last quarter, official figures have shown. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), earnings, excluding bonuses, rose by 7.8% between May and…
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May- 2023 -16 MayEconomy
Unemployment rises to 3.9%
The unemployment rate for January to March 2023 increased by 0.1 percentage points during the first quarter to 3.9% amid a surge in those not working due to ill health, according to the latest statistics from the Office For National Statistics (ONS). The ONS also found that the UK employment…
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Nov- 2022 -15 NovemberEconomy
Unemployment rate rises to 3.6%
The unemployment rate for July to September 2022 increased by 0.2% on the quarter to 3.6, according to the latest statistics from the ONS. The UK employment rate for July to September 2022 was 75.5%, largely unchanged from the previous quarter and 1.1% lower than before the coronavirus pandemic. Over…
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