Budget
Budget jewellery occupies an important place in the UK market, catering to cost-conscious consumers without compromising on style or demand for trend-led pieces. For retailers, wholesalers, and designers, this segment presents unique opportunities and challenges—from managing slim margins to sourcing affordable materials and meeting high-volume demands.
Jewellery Focus delivers in-depth coverage of the budget jewellery sector, featuring news on supplier innovations, pricing strategies, consumer buying trends, and regulatory considerations affecting production and imports. Our editorial also explores how brands and independents can balance value with quality to remain competitive in this fast-moving market.
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Aug- 2025 -14 AugustEconomy
UK quarterly GDP beats expectations despite slowdown
UK GDP grew 0.3% in the three months to June, behind the 0.7% it grew in the first quarter, as a result of US tariffs and higher business costs, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, it is better than expected growth as economists polled by…
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Jun- 2025 -13 JuneNews
Warm weather fails to boost footfall in May
Retail footfall across the UK declined by 1.7% compared with May 2024, spelling a sharp drop from the 7.2% rise recorded in April, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic Solutions. The downturn affected most retail locations, with High Streets down 2.5% year-on-year, and…
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5 JuneEconomy
Consumer confidence hasn’t recovered since Brexit vote, Barclays finds
Consumer confidence reached its highest point in the past 10 years in September 2016, at 48%, just after the Brexit referendum, according to Barclays’ “10 Years of Spend” report. Barclays has been tracking consumer confidence monthly since 2015 and also surveyed 2000 people in the UK for the report, which…
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Apr- 2025 -3 AprilFeatures
The Gen Z and millennial luxury shoppers demanding exceptional service
Consumer shopping preferences often mirror bigger themes at play, whether that’s conversations around the environment and sustainability or budget concerns and cost-of-living constraints. Often, these preferences and non-negotiables change from generation to generation and depend on the product category. For Gen Z and millennial shoppers, quality, sustainability and security are…
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Mar- 2025 -26 MarchEconomy
Chancellor resists calls for business relief in Spring Statement
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has resisted calls from businesses for relief ahead of the upcoming tax changes this April, as part of her Spring Statement today (26 March). UK businesses had been hopeful the chancellor would raise the relief rate for retail, hospitality, and leisure after cutting it to 40% in…
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19 MarchFeatures
Poppy Elder on trends shaping the bespoke engagement market
Engagement ring sales have grown by 14% annually, driven by a resurgence in marriages that has reversed years of decline in the UK, according to a new analysis by online diamond retailer 77 Diamonds. Exclusive insights from 77 Diamonds suggest that this post-pandemic wedding surge has continued since 2022. As…
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4 MarchEconomy
Shop price inflation remains at 0.7% despite surge in food prices
Shop price inflation remained in deflation at 0.7% in February, after also falling to -0.7% in January, according to data from the British Retail Consortium. However, this comes despite food inflation increasing to 2.1% year on year in February, an increase from the 1.6% rise in January and above the…
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Feb- 2025 -20 FebruaryEconomy
UK consumer confidence drops to new low in February
UK consumer confidence slipped to a new low of -37 in February, amid the worsening state of the economy. According to the latest BRC-Opinium Consumer Sentiment Monitor, the economy worsened for the fifth consecutive month, down from -34 in January. The BRC reported that even Gen Z, despite being the…
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Jan- 2025 -7 JanuaryEconomy
BRC warns of 2025 falling sales volume despite December sales growth
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned of possible falling sales volume in 2025 despite the modest increase in total retail sales experienced in December 2024. UK total retail sales in December 2024 increased by 3.2% year on year, against a growth of 1.9% in December 2023, according to new…
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Dec- 2024 -23 DecemberEconomy
BRC warns of ‘spending squeeze’ in January
The British Retail Consortium has warned of a January spending squeeze, as BRC-Opinium data between 10 and 13 December showed that people’s spending intentions dropped 6pts. It comes as public confidence in the state of the economy “took a nosedive”, falling 8pts to -27, creating a widening gap between expectations…
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