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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Nov- 2024 -14 NovemberDIY
CDS Superstores acquires 70 Homebase stores out of administration
The Range and Wilko owner CDS Superstores has acquired 70 Homebase UK stores after the DIY retailer collapsed into administration. Gavin Park, Gavin Maher and Adele Macleod of Teneo Financial Advisory Limited were appointed as joint administrators of HHGL Limited and Hampden Group Limited, which trade under the Homebase name.…
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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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Oct- 2024 -11 OctoberNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-11/10/24
Ikea reported a 5.3% decline in retail sales to €45.1bn (£37.7bn) after implementing significant price reductions across 63 markets. Despite the sales decrease, the strategy led to a 4.5% increase in store visits and a notable 21% rise in online traffic, driven by heightened consumer demand. This period also saw…
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3 OctoberSupermarkets
Sainsbury’s chief calls for Budget action on consumer confidence
Sainsbury’s boss Simon Roberts has called on the government to introduce measures to improve consumer confidence in the Budget this month. He told Reuters that despite falling inflation, higher wages, and solid employment levels, UK shoppers remain nervous about spending on bigger ticket items. Recent surveys have shown UK consumer…
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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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23 SeptemberDepartment Stores
Two Frasers Group brands face audit issues amid missing payroll data
Frasers Group has encountered issues with the audits of two of its brands, I Saw It First and Choice, according to reports from This Is Money. Auditors from Cooper Parry working on I Saw It First were unable to verify almost £7m of wages and salary payments. Meanwhile, auditors at…
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Aug- 2024 -23 AugustClothing & Shoes
Shein uncovers two cases of child labour in supply chain
Shein has revealed it uncovered two cases of child labour in its supply chain last year, as both cases were resolved “swiftly”, with a series of remediation steps put in place following the discoveries.From Q1 to Q3 2023, Shein Responsible Sourcing (SRS) audits uncovered the two cases in the supply…
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13 AugustNews
Today’s news in breif-13/8/24
UK wage growth has fallen to a two-year low, with wages excluding bonuses growing by 5.4% in the three months ending June 2024, the lowest since 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics. Factoring in inflation, wage growth drops to 3.2%. Public sector pay rose by 6%, while private…
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13 AugustNews
UK wage growth falls to two-year low
Wages excluding bonuses in the UK grew by 5.4% in the three months ended 30 June 2024, the lowest growth for two years, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Furthermore, when price rises, measured by inflation, are factored in wages only grew by 3.2%. Alongside this,…
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