Wages
This coverage examines wage trends and policies in the UK retail sector, focusing on pay levels, employer contributions, labour cost management, and compliance. Reporting highlights how changes in wages impact staffing budgets, recruitment, retention, and operational planning — offering insight for executives, HR leaders, and finance professionals managing workforce investments.
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Feb- 2019 -22 FebruaryHigh Street
January posts lowest footfall decline in three years
January footfall declined 0.8% according to the latest data from Ipsos Retail Performance – the lowest decline in three years. Ipsos said the figures indicate that Britain’s shoppers “are getting on with the certainties of everyday living” despite the uncertainties of Brexit.Further figures showed that year-on-year deficits over three…
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19 FebruaryAdvice
Evolving employment laws – a stronger future for workers’ rights
Since 2010, the UK has experienced lower unemployment rates across every region, underpinned by a strong and innovative labour market that has seized on the opportunities offered by new technologies, emerging business models and changing ways of working. Existing employment law and policy framework has found a balance between flexibility…
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1 FebruaryHigh Street
Oddbins falls into administration
Off licence chain Oddbins has fallen into administration with parent company European Food Brokers (EFB) blaming the deterioration of the high street, Brexit and “economic uncertainty”. Duff & Phelps has been appointed to run the business and help it to find a buyer. Oddbins has 45 outlets across the UK…
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Jan- 2019 -31 JanuarySupermarkets
Asda loses equal pay claim battle
The Court of Appeal has upheld the ruling that Asda store staff can compare their roles with those in the supermarket giant’s distribution centres in legal claims over equal pay. The Walmart owned Asda appealed the two previous rulings they lost, both of which found that lower paid shop workers,…
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16 JanuaryEconomy
Consumer spending drops further in December with 1% decline
Consumer spending continued to fall in the month of December with a 1% decline, according to Visa’s UK Consumer Spending Index. The index compiled by IHS Markit, showed that overall expenditure continued to decline at the end of 2018. The 1% year-on-year reduction seen in December was the fastest seen…
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4 JanuaryComment
Carnage on the shop floor
The pressure on the retail sector has been a consistent staple for investors since the end of the financial crisis, partly as a result of changing shopping habits but also down to rising costs and outdated business models. This has been no better illustrated by the way UK consumers behaved…
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2 JanuaryGovernment
Large retailers must now ‘justify’ bosses’ wages
UK companies listed on the stock market and with over 250 employees will now have to annually disclose and explain their top bosses pay and the gap between that and their average worker, the UK government has said. The pay ratio regulations, which came into force on 1 January 2019,…
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Dec- 2018 -18 DecemberEconomy
Consumer spending drags for second month in a row
Consumer spending has dropped by 0.7% in November, the second month of decline following the 0.2% drop in October according to Visa’s UK Consumer Spending Index. Expenditure also struggled to maintain growth momentum in 2018 to date, with spending falling in seven of the 11 months of the year so…
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Nov- 2018 -29 NovemberHigh Street
The Range bans under-18s from shopping alone in its stores
Homewares retailer The Range has banned under-18s from shopping alone in its stores, “due to the products on sale in store”. A backlash began in Wales after two 17-year-olds were kicked out of the chain’s Rhyl store whilst shopping for Christmas presents. The teenagers’ mother, Karen Jayne, took to the…
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26 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Missguided boss slammed by MPs for Parliamentary no-show
Nitin Passi, the CEO and founder of online retailer Missguided, has been criticised by MPs for refusing to appear in the Houses of Parliament as part of an investigation into fast fashion. In a letter to Passi, MP Mary Creagh chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, said she was “disappointed”…
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