⚠️ New data highlights the risk that the Employment Rights Act could unintentionally narrow job opportunities for young people. ⚠️
70% of Gen Z say flexible work is important, poor implementation of the ERA could limit flexible job availability.📜
#retail #jobs
📢Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, Neil Johnston, is giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee on support for businesses navigating the Windsor Framework.
Watch here 👉 parliamentlive.tv
#retail
⚠️Retail employment decline significantly in high streets. ⚠️
New stats from the ONS show retail employment falling sharply in high streets and shopping centres between 2015 and 2024. 📉
BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson, has responded to the figures. 💬
February retail sales rose just 1.1% YoY, below the 12-month average (2.3%), as grey, wet weather dampened spending. 🌧️
🥗Food sales grew 2.9%
👕Non-food slipped -0.4%
💻Online non-food fell -1.3%.
Valentine’s Day gave a small boost, but weak consumer confidence persists. ⚠️
Great to have questions tabled in UK Parliament by Jo Platt MP
and Mary Kelly Foy MP on the high street and what steps the Government can take to support retailers. 💬
#retail
A huge thanks to @joshnewburymp.bsky.social for taking the time to visit Tesco in Cannock Chase on Friday. 🤝
Great to have a discussion on local employment, retail crime, Tesco's charity work and the local healthcare services they provide, including the blood pressure test Josh took. 👏
Earlier this week, we signed a joint letter urging the Welsh Government to appoint a scheme administrator for DRS. 📝
Joe Robertson MP raised the issue of glass inclusion in the Welsh scheme in Parliament yesterday. 💬
#DRS
🎙️Earlier this week, BRC CEO Helen Dickinson, joined the CEO of the Retail Trust, Chris Brook-Carter at
@retailweek.bsky.social X @thegrocer.bsky.social LIVE, to discuss:
🤔The human factor: why growth starts with your workforce
Covering:
🖥️ Tech
🧔People
📈Labour
🙂Wellbeing
📜New regs
#RWGLIVE26
Speaking on a panel yesterday hosted by the @heraldscotland.bsky.social Scotland, SRC Director David Lonsdale urged Scottish Government to avoid “putting ever more rocks into the retail sector’s rucksack.” 📢
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2590873...
👍Big thanks to @heraldscotland.bsky.social for inviting SRC's Director David Lonsdale to participate as a panellist at their Spring Forecast breakfast briefing in Glasgow. The debate focused on the geopolitical situation, economic vitality, youth employment, energy costs, taxes.
#retail
We have signed an industry wide letter to the First Minister of Wales, urging Welsh Government to appoint a DRS scheme administrator ASAP and to continue to engage with industry on glass.📝
Full story on BBC News below. 📰
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
SRC Director David Lonsdale visited the first Chapter One, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland's first Glasgow store.🤝
Good discussion on trading conditions, high streets, sustainability.💬
#retail
BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson, has responded to the Chancellor's Spring Statement today. 💬
For the full reaction, click the link below.👇
#retail
brc.org.uk/news-and-eve...
📝In his monthly column for @heraldscotland.bsky.social, SRC Director David Lonsdale looks ahead to the Chancellor's Spring Statement and the steps that could be taken to lift economic growth and support the retail industry. 📈
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
#retail
BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson, has responded to the publication of a Government consultation on collective redundancy. 👇
#retail
🤝Great to show Luke Charters MP around Boots this morning in his constituency of York Outer.
💬Good to have a discussion about local healthcare Boots provides as well as employment and economic growth.
#BuyIntoRetail
Consumer confidence rose for a third straight month in Feb, reaching its highest level since June, the latest BRC-Opinium data shows. 📈
📈Economy expectations: -30 (up from -32)
💷Personal finances: -6 (up from -8)
🛍️Retail spend: 0 (up from -6)
💰Overall spend: +6
BRC Corporate Affairs Director, Jim Bligh, spoke to LBC News about our 2026 Crime Report. 📻
Violence and abuse against retailer workers is at 4x pre pandemic levels. This is unacceptable. We look forward to the passing of the standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker.📜
BRC Crime Policy Adviser, Lucy Whing, spoke to LBC News earlier about our latest Crime Report. 🎙️
Retailers have invested £5 billion over the past 5 years on crime prevention measures and will continue to work with police to ensure retail crime is combatted. 💰
#retail
📰A plethora of great coverage for our 2026 Crime Report.
👮Retail crime may have come down but it has not gone away.
🤝The industry will continue to work with Government and police to ensure maximum attention is given to an issue which affects every retailer on a daily basis.
Pleasure to have Lorraine Beavers MP visit The Plant Place Garden Centre in Blackpool North to kick off our 2026 MP site visits. 🤝
Good discussion on youth unemployment, the ERA, business rates and growth and skills. 💬
@htanews.bsky.social
Food inflation dips in January driving a drop in the headline rate to 3% according to the latest ONS CPI. 📉
However, BRC Economist, @harvirdhillon.bsky.social, has warned that margins remain thin and additional costs arising from the Employment Rights Act may fuel further price rises. ⚠️
Great to have Scotland's First Minister @johnswinney.bsky.social attend an SRC roundtable in Edinburgh yesterday.
Good discussion around:
📊 Trading conditions in Scotland
🏪 Retail's economic and social contribution
📈 The shared ambition for economic growth
#ScottishRetail
Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, David Lonsdale, attended a CBI Scotland roundtable with Anas Sarwar MSP on Friday. 💬
There was a good discussion around govt/business relations, high streets and business rates and local taxation. 💷
#retail
🎉#NAW2026 🎉
👏 Jaz-Rai Beel chose the apprenticeship route with Vision Express as it gave him a chance to learn in a way that worked for him and now he is a qualified Dispensing Optician.
🎉Day 4 of #NAW2026 🎉
📱Ami Pearse undertook the Content Creator Apprenticeship at The Perfume Shop to improve her marketing skills.
🎉Day 4 of #NAW2026 🎉
🥇Summer was among the first cohort to pass the Tesco
Stronger Starts Retail Apprenticeship with a distinction.
🎉Day 4 of #NAW2026 🎉
☕️At Starbucks UK, Anna Nowakowska completed a Level 5 Operations Manager Apprenticeship while Anna Marston completed a Level 2 Food and Beverage Service Apprenticeship.
🎉Day 4 of #NAW2026 🎉
👓Specsavers offer a variety of apprenticeships with many apprentices qualifying as Dispensing Opticians.
It's Day 3 of #NAW2026. 🎉
🤝 Atefeh Hashemi completed a Customer Service Level 3 Apprenticeship Programme at Holland & Barrett.
