House prices are poised to slide in 2023 but straight into the hands of the lucky few February 7, 2023 There’s a pretty wild variety of house price predictions doing the rounds. Capital Economics have forecast they could fall 12 per cent, while experts at property search site Zoopla are a bit more optimistic. The consensus seems to be somewhere around a six per cent fall in 2023. One thing is certain: house prices are [...]
Brits’ experience of previous Covid-19 curbs to quash Omicron GDP hit January 12, 2022 Brits’ resilience and ability to rapidly adapt in the face of soaring Covid-19 infections will insulate the UK economy from the Omicron variant, according to City economists. Experience of previous periods of curbs on daily life implemented by the UK government to tamp down on transmissions has resulted in businesses and consumers being able to [...]
Fuelling the fire: Independent retailers ignite petrol price war to attract motorists July 21, 2022 Petrol retailers have kickstarted a price war, with independent vendors slashing costs at the pumps to lure in motorists as the cost of living crisis deepens.
Brits told they should brace themselves for even higher food and drink prices November 9, 2022 Food and drink prices are expected to climb even higher than previously expected – with meat, fruit, vegetables, dairy and bread seeing the biggest increases, a new forecast has suggested. The rate of food price inflation will reach a peak year-on-year of between 17 per cent and 19 per cent in early 2023, the Institute [...]
Retailers’ hopes for Christmas boost dashed as Omicron fears discouraged shoppers January 7, 2022 Hopes for a Christmas that would see high streets near pre-pandemic levels of trade were dashed last month as Covid fears discouraged shoppers. While England enjoyed a festive period free of restrictions on social gatherings once more, high streets marked a footfall decline of 23.1 per cent last month, compared to 2019. This was 3.5 [...]
Fuel be sorry: Record petrol prices could hurt retail sector warn experts March 7, 2022 Experts suggest record prices at the pumps could hurt the retail sector and potentially stall the UK's ecommerce boom.
Brits face cost of living assault on all fronts in 2022 January 4, 2022 Brits are facing a cost of living crunch on all fronts in 2022, reveal fresh figures released today. Prices in shops accelerated 0.8 per cent in annually in December, just the second time prices have risen in over two years, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The rise has been driven by food retailers [...]
Shop staff wary of abuse as mandatory mask rules return November 29, 2021 Retail voices have said shop staff must not be expected to be put in harm’s way as compulsory mask rules make a return tomorrow. Londoners will be legally required to wear a mask in shops and on public transport once more from tomorrow, in a bid to prevent the spread of the new Omicron Covid [...]
Two-tiered recovery? High Streets struggle as one-in-seven shops sit vacant July 30, 2021 A wave of administrations, closures and downsizing has decimated the UK high street, with new figures out this morning showing one in seven shops are sitting empty – and the problem is getting worse. In the second quarter of 2021, the overall vacancy rate increased to 14.5 per cent across the UK, from 14.1 per [...]
BRC: Food manufacturing may be offshored because of staff shortages September 2, 2021 Some food manufacturing may have to move out of the country due to staffing shortages, a retail boss has said. Businesses were just about keeping their head above water amid shortages of HGV drivers and other supply chain staff such as production workers, Andrew Opie, director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium [...]