Economy
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Apr- 2022 -11 April
UK GDP slows to 0.1% in February
Gross domestic product (GDP) slowed in the UK as the economy only saw 0.1% growth in February, down from a growth rate of 0.8% in January. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), services grew by 0.2% and was the main contributor to February’s growth in GDP, although this…
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5 April
Retail footfall drops 22.9% across UK
Footfall fell by 22.9% compared to 2019 in the non-food sector across the UK, although footfall is up 9.9% compared to the previous month due to “unseasonably warm weather”. According to Ipsos Retail Performance, the retail sector performed the strongest at -14.9% compared to pre-Covid levels, while footfall on the…
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Mar- 2022 -31 March
High street footfall continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels
Footfall levels remain 23% below pre-pandemic levels in February 2022 as rising costs are reportedly set to “batter” retailers from 1 April, according to RSM. The latest data from Datscha, analysed by RSM, shows the overall decline in footfall is the worst in London with numbers on Oxford Street down…
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29 March
Footfall rises by 7.8% as weather improves
The second anniversary of the start of the first lockdown in 2020 delivered positive results, with a rise in footfall of +7.8% last week from the week before across all UK retail destinations, according to retail experts Springboard. It found increases in all three destination types; +9.8% in high streets,…
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23 March
De Beers unveils ‘advanced’ diamond recovery vessel
The world’s most advanced diamond recovery vessel, the Benguela Gem, has today been officially unveiled in Namibia at an inauguration ceremony attended by President Hage Geingob, Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo and De Beers Group CEO, Bruce Cleaver. The vessel will commence operations from next week, well ahead…
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23 March
Spring Statement: Chancellor raises NI threshold to £12,570
The chancellor has outlined a series of measures to help combat the rising cost of living in his latest spring statement, including increasing the national insurance threshold by £3,000. Speaking in parliament today (23 March), Rishi Sunak began his speech by warning it is yet unclear what the impact of…
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10 March
Brazilian exports of metals, precious stones and jewellery soars by 119%
The total volume of Brazilian metals, precious stones, and jewellery exports to the UK in 2021 soared by 119%, rising 37% by value to reach £648.8m, with demand “overwhelmingly concentrated” in precious stones and gold, according to Apex-Brasil. Metal ore exports also rose significantly, by 116% YOY, to reach £143.3m.…
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Feb- 2022 -21 February
Bira welcomes sales rise, but warns ‘all is not well’
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has said it is “pleased to see a rise in retail sales”, but warned retailers against “falling into the trap of thinking all is well”. It was commenting on the recently released figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the UK retail…
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7 February
Consumer confidence falls for second consecutive quarter
The Deloitte Consumer Tracker has revealed UK consumer confidence fell by one percentage point in Q4 2021 to -11%, the second consecutive quarter of decline. Deloitte said the result comes after consumers started to feel the “squeeze of inflation” and pockets were hit with higher household bills. Personal expenditure in…
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Jan- 2022 -19 January
Inflation hits 30-year high
Inflation reached 5.4% in December, its highest rate since CPIH stood at 5.1% in May 1992, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It revealed the consumer prices index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) rose 4.8% in the 12 months to December 2021, up…
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