Economy
The economy has a direct influence on the UK jewellery trade, affecting consumer spending, material costs, and business confidence across the sector. For jewellers, manufacturers, and suppliers, staying informed on economic trends is vital to planning and resilience. Jewellery Focus provides expert coverage of economic developments impacting the trade, including inflation, interest rates, consumer confidence, and supply chain challenges. Our reporting helps jewellery professionals understand the wider market forces shaping their business environment.
-
Jun- 2020 -26 JuneNews
Google UK launches support package for small UK businesses
Google UK has pledged to support small businesses across the country with a new package of products, tools and services to support the reopening and growth of British retail. From today, small businesses can sign-up to access the support package through Google, who has committed to helping one million small…
Read More » -
22 JuneEconomy
Chancellor mulls VAT cut and could follow up with autumn tax rises
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering cutting VAT in order to help stimulate the economy but could follow the move up with a set of Autumn tax rises. According to the Financial Times, Sunak is planning deferred tax rises and cuts to public spending in his autumn Budget as a follow up to further stimulus…
Read More » -
19 JuneRetailers
92% of shopworkers oppose longer Sunday working hours, says Usdaw
Some 92% of retail staff in England have opposed large shops opening for more than six hours on a Sunday, as the government considers deregulating Sunday trading. According to a survey by shopworkers trade union Usdaw, 66% of the 11,000 retail staff said they feel they are pressured to work…
Read More » -
17 JuneRetailers
Bira vows to ‘fight’ for retailers who missed out on Covid-19 support
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has vowed to continue to “fight for retailers” who have missed out on government support. The pledge follows the findings of the treasury select committee that one million people had missed out on receiving any financial support during the pandemic. The committee’s report is…
Read More » -
17 JuneAdvice
11 ways to encourage the high street to remain Covid-secure
This week marks a big shift for the retail sector as many non-essential stores in England reopen their doors to the public. Boris Johnson has announced that as of the 15th June, non-essential stores can reopen in England, providing stringent health and safety guidelines are set in place to protect…
Read More » -
15 JuneCoronavirus
39% of UK SMEs believe economy will need five years to recover from Covid-19
Four in 10 (39%) small business owners believe it will take at least five years for the UK economy to fully recover from the impact of lockdown and Covid-19, according to a new poll. Research by the “#ForgottenLtd Campaign”, which is campaigning for fair and equal government support for small…
Read More » -
15 JuneCoronavirus
Usdaw urges public to ‘respect shopworkers’ as shops are allowed to reopen
Shopworkers union Usdaw has urged customers to respect staff and employers to ensure safety in stores, as shops are allowed to reopen from today (15 June). The news comes as Usdaw released statistics revealing one in six shop workers have suffered abuse on every shift, during the coronavirus pandemic. The statistics revealed 62%…
Read More » -
12 JuneCurrent Affairs
UK GDP slumps over 20% in April as full impact of Covid-19 is felt
GDP slumped by 20.4% in April 2020, following a fall of 5.8% in March, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is the biggest monthly fall since the ONS’ series began in 1997, with the measure also falling by 10.4% in the three months…
Read More » -
11 JuneRetailers
Majority of SMEs believe UK is headed for deep recession post-pandemic
Almost seven in 10 (69%) small business owners believe the UK is heading for a deep recession following the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown, according to new research from FreeAgent. In addition, almost three quarters (73%) believe many small businesses will struggle to make enough money to survive and two…
Read More » -
10 JuneCoronavirus
UK GDP expected to decline 7.2% in 2020 amid ongoing pandemic
The continuing impact of the Covid-19 virus is expected to see the UK economy contract by 7.2% in 2020, with the economy unlikely to be able to fully restart until a vaccine or effective treatments for the virus are available. This is according to KPMG UK’s latest quarterly Economic Outlook, which considered…
Read More »
