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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Jan- 2024 -19 JanuaryNews
Retail sales drop 3.2% in December, ONS says
Retail sales volumes are estimated to have fallen by 3.2% in December 2023, from a rise of 1.4% in November 2023, the ONS has revealed. December’s decrease was the largest monthly fall since January 2021, when Covid-19 restrictions affected sales. Looking at the quarterly picture, sales volumes fell by 0.9%…
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5 JanuaryNews
Today’s news in brief-5/1/24
Asda and Usdaw have signed a collective bargaining agreement, enabling the union to represent hourly-paid employees in convenience stores and Leon restaurants acquired from EG Group. Usdaw will negotiate on pay, hours, and holidays annually for employees across 356 convenience stores and 77 Leon restaurant sites. Asda’s Chief People and…
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5 JanuarySupermarkets
Sainsbury’s invests £200m to raise wages by 9%
Sainsbury’s will be investing £200m to increase colleague pay to £12 per hour – £13.15 in London – from March. The move is the biggest investment made by the retailer into staff pay and will benefit some 120,000 colleagues, giving them an extra £1,910 a year nationally and £2,290 a…
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4 JanuaryAdvice
A retailer’s guide to building a socially responsible brand
Define your values and commitment The foundation of a socially responsible brand lies in the definition of core values and unwavering commitment to social and environmental causes. Start by identifying the causes that align with your business ethos and connect with your target audience. Examples include championing fair labour practices,…
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Dec- 2023 -15 DecemberHigh Street
Currys boss criticises gov’s minimum wage plans
Currys CEO Alex Baldock has accused the government of not caring about the retail industry after claiming its decision to raise the minimum wage would “load more costs onto an already overburdened sector”. It comes after chancellor Jeremy Hunt outlined plans to raise the legal minimum wage by 10% to…
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Nov- 2023 -13 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Theft to cost retailers £7.9bn in 2023, study finds
It has been forecast that retail theft will cost UK retailers £7.9bn this year, according to new research by Thruvision Group plc and Retail Economics. Thruvision, a provider of walk-through security technology, and Retail Economics stated that shoppers account for 60% of the value of the theft (£4.7bn) while employees,…
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Sep- 2023 -26 SeptemberNews
Failure to reform Apprenticeship Levy cost retailers 12,000 lost apprenticeships, BRC says
Retailers could have offered 12,000 more apprenticeships over the past year if it was not for the Government’s failure to reform the Apprenticeship Levy, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The industry took on approximately 17,000 apprenticeships in that period, meaning Levy reform could boost this…
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25 SeptemberNews
Today’s news in brief- 25/09/23
H&M has reversed its earlier decision to impose a processing fee of £1.99 for in-store returns of online purchases. The initial announcement had been met with public outcry. Now, H&M’s website clarifies that there will be no return fee for parcels returned in-store. However, non-H&M members will still be subject…
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25 SeptemberNews
UK consumer confidence up four points, says GFK
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased four points to -21 in September amid falling inflation figures, growth in wages and high interest rates. The index measuring changes in personal finances during the last year was up two points at -13; this is 15 points better than September 2022. The forecast…
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13 SeptemberPeople Moves
UK GDP falls by ‘worse than expected’ 0.5% in July
The UK economy shrunk by a “worse than expected” 0.5% in July as poor weather and industrial strikes impacted production, according to the latest statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS revealed that all of the main sectors fell in July 2023, with output in the services…
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