British Retail Consortium
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) plays a key role in supporting the UK retail sector, including jewellers, through advocacy, policy development, and industry standards. For jewellery trade professionals, understanding BRC initiatives helps navigate regulatory changes, consumer trends, and challenges facing the wider retail landscape. Jewellery Focus provides coverage on BRC updates, reports, campaigns, and insights into how its work impacts jewellers, suppliers, and stakeholders across the industry.
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Jul- 2019 -25 JulyRetailers
Retail employment falls 2.3%, 14th consecutive quarter of decline
Retail employment has fallen by 2.3% during the three-month period ending 30 June, marking the 14th consecutive month of decline. According to the figures from the BRC, the decline is equivalent to around 72,000 more jobs lost than compared to the same period last year. Full-time employment also saw a…
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15 JulyRetailers
Retail footfall ‘slumps’ in June
Footfall declined by 2.9% in June, attributed to the “exceptional and ongoing disruptive political and economic period”, according to retail intelligence firm Springboard. On a three-month basis, footfall decreased by 2.4%, and the six and 12–month averages were found to be -1.3% and -1.7% respectively. High street footfall also declined…
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9 JulyRetailers
‘Worst June on record’ for retail sales, says BRC
On a total basis, sales decreased by 1.3% in June, against an increase of 2.3% in June 2018, according to new data from the BRC. The group said the decline dragged the three-month average into a decline of 0.1% and the 12-month average to an increase of 0.6%, the lowest…
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4 JulyRetailers
Shop prices turn deflationary for first time since October 2018
Shop prices have turned deflationary for the first time since October 2018, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Nielsen Shop Price Index. In June, shop prices fell by 0.1%, compared with May when prices increased by 0.8%. This is below the 12- and six-month average price…
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Jun- 2019 -10 JuneRetailers
Footfall ‘plummets’ in May
Footfall declined by 3.5% in May, compared with the same point last year when it declined by 0.4%, according to the latest BRC-Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor. On a three-month basis, footfall decreased by 0.7%. The six and 12-month averages are at -1.3% and -1.4% respectively. High Street footfall declined…
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4 JuneRetailers
Retail sales in May see ‘biggest decline on record’
Sales decreased by 2.7% in May on a total basis, excluding Easter distortions, making it the “worst decline” since records began in January 1995, according to the latest BRC-KPMG sales monitor. However, the BRC said this was against an increase of 4.1% in May 2018, itself a four year record.…
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May- 2019 -8 MayRetailers
Retail sales ‘below expectation’ in April
Retail sales fell below expectations in April, despite a total sales increase of 4.1% against the decrease of 3.1% the previous year, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. This was due to figures being “distorted” by the timing of the run-up to Easter, which was in April this…
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Apr- 2019 -25 AprilRetailers
74,400 retail jobs lost in first three months of 2019
The retail sector saw a 2.4% year-on-year drop in the number of employees in the first quarter of this year, equating to a loss of 74,400 jobs. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), this is a higher reduction than the 2.2% drop seen in 2018. The trade organisation said…
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1 AprilRetailers
BRC calls to end business rates hike
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said action is needed to “protect shops and jobs” as business rates for retailers are set to rise by £200m for 2019/20. In a submission made to the Treasury Select Committee today (1 April), the BRC has set out a framework to “fix the…
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Jan- 2019 -21 JanuaryRetailers
Chapelle enters administration
Jewellery and watch retailer Chapelle has entered into administration, four years after it was sold to HMV owners Hilco UK. Philip Duffy and Sarah Bell of accountancy firm Duff & Phelps have been appointed as administrators of both Mortimer Management Group and The Jewellery Outlet which makes up Chapelle. The…
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