British Retail Consortium news and archive

UK retail sales stall as shoppers hold back for Black Friday

UK retail sales growth slowed in October as consumers held back spending ahead of Black Friday promotions, with fashion and non-food categories showing only marginal gains. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor, total retail sales rose 1.6 percent year-on-year in October, below the 12-month average of 2.1...

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M&S CEO: “The Budget needs to back business, not burden it”

Stuart Machin, chief executive of Marks and Spencer (M&S), is calling on the government to “back business, not burden it” ahead of the Autumn Budget on November 26. In an open letter published by the British retailer, Machin urges chancellor Rachel Reeves not to add any more taxes that “hit consumers and the everyday economy,” to reassess...

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Packaging EPR tax to “push up prices” for consumers

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is calling on the UK government to provide “great clarity” on how consumers and the environment will benefit from the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. New figures from the BRC reveal that more than 80 percent of the costs of the new packaging tax, which came into effect at the start of the...

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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...

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Retail footfall falters in July despite heatwave and events

In a month when the summer sun scorched pavements and the Lionesses lifted silverware, Britain’s retail sector remained conspicuously tepid. July footfall figures, released by BRC-Sensormatic, reveal a marginal 0.4 percent year-on-year decline—an improvement on June’s -1.8 percent, but still far from the revival fashion retailers were hoping...

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Retail finance chiefs sound alarm over tax burden and inflation risks

A new survey from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has revealed mounting concern among retail finance leaders, as fears grow that government policy is fuelling inflation, job losses, and reduced investment across the high street. With the Chancellor preparing his next Budget, 56 percent of retail CFOs described their outlook for the coming...

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Retail crime in England and Wales hits 20-year high

Shoplifting in England and Wales has surged to its highest level in over two decades, according to the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In the year to March 2025, police recorded over 530,000 shoplifting offences, a 20 percent increase on the previous year and the highest number since current recording methods...

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BRC responds to Employment Rights Bill roadmap

The British Retail Consortium has welcomed the publication of the Employment Rights Bill Roadmap by the government on July 1, which sets out the timelines for measures in the Bill aimed at boosting rights for half of all UK workers and providing certainty to employers. The government states the Bill will raise living standards across the country...

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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...

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Industry leaders comment on September retail sales growth

Retail sales rose by 0.3 percent in September and increased 3.6 percent by value and 4 percent by volume. Three industry leaders comment on the latest figures: Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium, said: “September saw the strongest retail sales growth since January, and the highest sales volume since March 2022. This...

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UK retail sales show modest growth amid summer spending

Retail sales in the UK saw a slight uptick in August, driven by summer-related purchases, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. Total retail sales increased by 1 percent year-on-year, outpacing the three-month average growth of 0.4% but falling short of the 12-month average of 1.2 percent. Non-food sales, which includes fashion,...

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UK retailers see sustainability as a major business driver

A new study analysing the sustainability of the UK retail industry through a survey of British Retail Consortium (BRC) members has found that 85 percent of major retailers outline sustainability as a business driver. The report, ‘The Imperative to Act: Advancing Sustainability Maturity within the UK Retail Industry,’ conducted by BearingPoint,...