BRC news and archive

80 retail execs back call for government to tackle youth unemployment

Executives from leading UK retailers have called on the government to address policies believed to be making it harder to hire young people. Over 80 business leaders have signed a letter co-ordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) warning that taxes and red tape are pushing up the cost of entry-level jobs. Chief executive officers from...

Retail

BRC warns of rising costs as Middle East conflict adds pressure

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the UK government to act on rising domestic cost pressures, as new polling shows growing concern among consumers over the impact of the Middle East conflict on prices. Research commissioned by the BRC found that 80 percent of people are worried the conflict will lead to higher food prices, while...

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Business

400 of Britain’s largest shops at risk, BRC warn

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is warning that 400 large-format stores, from department stores to supermarkets, are at risk of closure if the Government forces them into its proposed higher business rates tax band. New research from the BRC reveals that large stores would be at risk if they are included in the Government’s new business...

People

Former Matalan CEO Jo Whitfield names chair of BRC

Jo Whitfield, retail veteran and former chief executive for Matalan, has been appointed chair of the British Retail Consortium (BRC). She will succeed Andy Higginson, whose tenure comes to an end on October 2. Whitfield, who is the first female chair of the BRC, brings to the role 25 years of experience in retail, having previously served in...

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Business

Business rates reform absent from spring statement: concerns for retailers in the UK

In her first spring statement and second budget as UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves presented a plan aimed at kick-starting the country’s faltering economy. In her statement on Wednesday, the UK’s first female Chancellor admitted that “growth is still not where it should be” but nonetheless reiterated the government's decision to raise the National...

Retail

UK: Footfall up in January despite dreary weather

While the festive season proved disappointing for many retailers, January proved to be a more positive month in the way of footfall across the UK, as figures rose throughout the region. According to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic, for the five weeks to February 1, total UK footfall increased 6.6 percent...

Retail

Retail crime ‘spiralling out of control’ says BRC

New figures from the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Annual Crime Survey have brought forth increased concern about the levels of retail violence and abuse in the UK, with the organisation’s chief executive, Helen Dickinson, stating that the situation is “spiralling out of control”. According to the survey, incidents of violence and abuse over...

Retail

Prices drop in first week of January but deflation eases

The first week of January showed “early signs of what is to come” in the way of shop prices, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), Helen Dickinson, said in the organisation’s latest report. For the period 1 to 7 January, 2025, shop price deflation was at 0.7 percent, above deflation of 1 percent in the previous month and...

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Retail

Shoppers are feeling the January blues

In a sobering assessment of Britain's retail landscape, the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) opinion consumer confidence survey reveals a nuanced picture of economic anxiety. Consumer confidence has taken a significant hit, with expectations for the state of the economy plummeting to a new low of -34 in January, a marked decline from...

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Business

BRC: Festive period benefited from lower inflation but price pressures on the horizon

New figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ showed that over the course of December, shoppers benefited from lower inflation. Yet, price pressures are anticipated for the coming year. Over the period December 1 to 7, 2024, shop price deflation was at 1 percent, up from deflation of 0.6 percent in the month prior. This came...

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Retail

December sales boost fails to save UK retail’s “Golden Quarter”

Christmas fails to save 2024 trading, as new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG International reveals that UK total retail sales for the year increased by just 0.7 percent from 2023, while non-food declined by 1.5 percent. For the three months to December, known as the “Golden Quarter,” sales growth was 0.4 percent...

Retail

UK retail footfall ends 2024 on subdued note

Retail footfall in the UK continued its downward trajectory in December, marking the second consecutive year of decline for brick-and-mortar retail traffic. Total footfall fell 2.2 percent year-on-year in December, though this represented an improvement from November's 4.5 percent decline, partly due to the shifted timing of Black Friday between...