British Retail Consortium

It’s been great to see key policy areas affecting the retail industry mentioned in the political sphere this week. 📢 On Business Rates – Jack Abbott MP outlined the decline of town centres and what more can be done to reverse this trend. The Prime Minister’s commitment to reform the broken business rates system is welcome. This tax, which has played a role in shop closures, cannot continue to be an unsustainable burden on businesses. 💷 On Skills – The Prime Minister committed once again to creating a flexible Growth and Skills Levy as he launched Skills England on Monday. Retailers looks forward to working with #SkillsEngland to ensure the industry can use more of the funds available on relevant courses so that it can upskill its workforce. 👨🏫 On Crime – In a week where the Office for National Statistics published figures showing shoplifting at its highest level on record, Baroness Colne’s spoke in the House of Lords highlighting the scale of crime we are now witnessing in the retail sector. The government’s commitment to introduce a standalone offence for assault of a retail worker is a positive first step to address retail crime. Government must now work with PCCs and local police forces to address this retail crime epidemic. 👮♂️ For more information on our #BuyIntoRetail campaign 👇 https://lnkd.in/eKx6zt9P

The Retail Soy Group (RSG), an independent group of food retailers that works to make sustainable soy the market norm, has today called on the new UK government to act with urgency to introduce due diligence measures for commodities driving deforestation. The group, which is represented by 3Keel Director, Will Schreiber, has sent a letter to The Right Hon. Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs calling for action within the government's first 100 days. The previous government did not deliver the promised Forest Risk Commodities (UKFRC) secondary legislation, despite it being a keystone of the Environment Act 2021. The retailers explain that with less than six months until the EU Deforestation Regulations come into force, if the UK doesn’t catch up and introduce this vital secondary legislation in a manner that credibly eliminates deforestation from the UK food system, the ability to export UK-made products to Europe is at risk. The RSG is clear on the need for urgency, saying “While the UK’s legislation does not mirror the EU’s in its entirety, the continued delay and absence of the UKFRC is contributing to further market confusion and is hindering retailer efforts to deliver on our shared commitment to eliminate deforestation and land conversion. Further inaction puts the UK at risk of becoming a dumping ground for deforestation-connected commodities.” Read the full letter and briefing document on the Retail Soy Group’s website👇

It's the final week of BRC Learning Summer School! 📅 It all started with the first residential at Ashridge House in June where guest speaker Mary Portas spoke to delegates about where retail is now, the role retail plays in society and what the future holds for the industry. 🏰 Since then, delegates have been undertaking digital learning and interactive live sessions to develop their leadership skills. 💻 It's all wrapping up this week with the second and final residential back at Ashridge House this week. 👨🏫 Stay tuned to BRC Learning channels to see more details of what's been going on over the past eight weeks and if Summer School appeals to you and your team, get in touch! We're already planning for 2025! 📞 #retailleaders #development #retail

Yesterday's business reception at No. 10...... It was great to catch up with some retail leaders including Simon Roberts, Régis Schultz, David Wood and Theo Paphitis who were among the many guests at yesterday's reception hosted by our new Prime Minister. And to to have the chance to congratulate Rt Hon Rachel Reeves again post the Labour election victory. Hearing from Keir Starmer, Jonathan Reynolds and Rachel about how the new government looks for to a more collaborative relationship is music to the ears of retail. Working with our members, we're ready to be a constructive partner, helping them leverage the scale and reach of retail to deliver the policy goals that will benefit our economy and communities in every corner of the country. The machinery of government had become old and tired and often fraught with tension between business and politicians. In order to drive real and positive change, give every retail business the opportunity to invest in communities, in technology, in climate action and in people, any government needs the power of industries such as ours. Nothing can be achieved without a shared endeavour and collective buy in. Through our #BuyIntoRetail campaign, we’ve been highlighting the importance of #retail to our economy. The scale of your contribution to investment in every corner of the country. The creator of three million jobs nationally. This campaign will continue, so do get involved by engaging with your new local MP to highlight the power of what we called the Everywhere Economy in our Manifesto for the Retail. See the manifesto here 👇👇👇👇 https://lnkd.in/ejDnXtym https://lnkd.in/diyAugzt

Action needed to protect shopworkers in Northern Ireland after shoplifting doubles. 📈 The Northern Ireland Retail Consortium has written a joint letter with Usdaw Union to Naomi Long MLA, Minister of Justice at Stormont, urging action to protect retail workers from violence and abuse. ✏ The latest statistics from the Police Service of Northern Ireland show shoplifting has more than doubled since the pandemic. Our own 2024 Crime Survey showed that incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers rose to over 1,300 a day in 2022/23. 📊 With a standalone offence already existing in Scotland and plans for the same legislation to be introduced in England and Wales, NIRC Director, Neil Johnston, is calling on the Executive at Stormont to give the same protection to shopworkers in Northern Ireland. 📜 For more details and to read the comments of Paddy Lillis and Neil Johnston 👇 https://lnkd.in/gD_uxAfm #retailcrime #crimesurvey2024

“I think the best thing about the [retail] industry is that it’s an industry that is open to entrepreneurs…retail is very accessible for someone who has an idea and [they can] be highly successful if they are customer obsessed.” 💬 CEO Interview Series: Episode 6 – Carlo Mocci 🎤 In the fifth episode of our CEO Interview series, BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson speaks to Carlo Mocci, Chief Business Officer of Deliveroo. Carlo tells us of his first steps in retail, working in a bookshop as teenager all the way to leading Deliveroo’s UK and Continental Europe business today. He also demonstrates how Deliveroo plays into the #EverywhereEconomy by connecting local communities and the neighbourhood to customers and ends by stating that if the new government wishes to achieve economic growth, retail must be central to their plans. #BuyIntoRetail

'We will give you more flexibility to spend funds on the training you think is really necessary.' 💬 The retail industry welcomes the commitment made by the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, this morning that the new government will create a flexible Growth and Skills Levy which will allow businesses to spend more of their funds on relevant training. 📜 Currently, under the broken Apprenticeship Levy: Retailers were prevented from offering 12,000 more apprenticeships over the past year due to the inflexible nature of the Levy. 👨🏫 Retailers see half of their £250m Levy contribution go unspent, because it can't be spent on the training the industry needs. 💰 The Levy now simply acts as another employment tax, penalising retailers for employing people with no benefit in return. 💷 Retailers looks forward to working with #SkillsEngland to ensure the industry can upskill its workforce.

Retail Sales hit by cold June. Today's Retail Sales Index published by the Office for National Statistics shows retail sales falling in June. 📉 Cold weather and high costs for households led to a decline in spending with categories such as clothing performing particularly poorly. 👕 Looking ahead, Director of Insight, Kris Hamer, said that "retailers look forward to working closely with Government to maximise the industry's contribution. This includes greater investment in skills and training, and using reforms to planning laws to create thriving town and city centres." To read his reaction in full 👇 https://lnkd.in/eP6QkXNh

#BuyIntoRetail. With The Labour Party announcing their policy plans in The King's Speech yesterday, members can check out the work the BRC are doing to ensure the new government #BuyIntoRetail. Take a look at our #BuyIntoRetail page featuring: Thought Leadership pieces 📜 CEO Interviews 🎤 Opinion pieces from CEO, Helen Dickinson ✏ and lots more... https://lnkd.in/eKx6zt9P

Today, at the State Opening of Parliament, the King delivered a speech to kick off the new parliamentary session - the first of the new Labour government. Featured in his prominently in his speech were promises on the #Crime and Policing Bill, as well as bills on #Skills, #Employment Rights, and #Planning and Infrastructure. 📢 CEO Helen Dickinson responds: "The King’s speech lays out the foundations for a more modern, dynamic British economy, and retailers look forward to playing their part in bringing this to life. The breadth of the retail industry means that many of these bills impact retailers and their customers, and we look forward to working closely with Government to maximise the industry’s contribution. "We particularly welcome explicit bills to reform the Apprenticeship Levy and planning laws; tackle retail crime and antisocial behaviour; and accelerate the country’s clean energy transition. We acknowledge that this is just the first step in the legislative process and we look forward to working with the Government on all these bills." 👉 To read the full response, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eQfk5SFH