PM hit by row over debts on credit cards October 5, 2011 DAVID CAMERON was forced to hastily redraft parts of his conference speech yesterday, after he was widely criticised for pre-released extracts that called on Britons to repay their credit card debts. “The only way out of this crisis is to deal with your debts. That means households – all of us – paying off the [...]
Shops closing shutters as custom drops August 21, 2011 FEWER Britons are going shopping, triggering the closure of an increasing number of stores, new figures show today. There was a one per cent drop in footfall – the number of people visiting shops – between May and July compared with the same period last year. The figures from the British Retail Consortium and analysts Springboard [...]
Weak retail sales helped by hungry food shoppers September 5, 2011 FOOD sales increased healthily during the summer months, despite overall retail sales being hit by the continuing economic squeeze on households. While like-for-like food sales were up 1.4 per cent in the three months to August, compared to the same period last year, non-food sales dropped by 1.5 per cent on the same measure. And [...]
Weak retail sales helped by hungry food shoppers September 5, 2011 FOOD sales increased healthily during the summer months, despite overall retail sales being hit by the continuing economic squeeze on households. While like-for-like food sales were up 1.4 per cent in the three months to August, compared to the same period last year, non-food sales dropped by 1.5 per cent on the same measure. And [...]
Riot-hit shops lost more than 7,500 trading hours August 23, 2011 RETAIL businesses hit by the UK riots lost more than 7,500 trading hours during the disruption, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). A total of 7,599 lost trading hours were reported by the body’s retail members, whose stores make up more than a quarter of the UK sector by sales. That’s [...]
A third of shoppers say they have no spare cash August 10, 2011 A THIRD of British shoppers say they have no spare cash after covering their overheads. Consumer confidence in spending is plunging to an all-time low, according to the latest survey by information company Nielsen and the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Consumers’ biggest concerns for the next six months continue to be the squeeze on household [...]
Businesses cheer tax relief scheme August 11, 2011 BUSINESS groups yesterday welcomed the government’s plans to support retailers affected by the UK riots, after a programme of tax relief and cash grants was announced by Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday. As part of the rescue package, riot-hit businesses will be given relief from business rates and allowed to delay tax payments. They will [...]
Mall brings fresh hope to struggling UK shopkeepers September 13, 2011 RETAILERS nationwide are facing tough conditions as the economy slows down, but Westfield will transform trade across Stratford and the wider borough, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Retail is currently hard hit. ONS figures for the year to the end of July 2011 show zero growth in the volume of sales. Footfall across [...]
High inflation hits UK retail sales in July August 18, 2011 THE WEAKNESS of the UK’s consumer recovery was underscored yesterday, after official figures revealed retail sales rose by just 0.2 per cent in July. Clothing sales were particularly weak as cash-strapped households reined in their spending, the figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed. Analysts had pencilled in a 0.3 per cent rise [...]
Businesses hit by riot threat August 8, 2011 BUSINESS groups in London warned yesterday that ongoing riots in the capital could add to the UK’s economic woes, as more high street stores were vandalised and looted by rioters. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) reacted strongly to the outbreaks of vandalism, saying struggling shops would be hit hardest by the damage. “Clearly, with high [...]