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.
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Jul- 2020 -7 JulyEconomy
Usdaw urges chancellor to announce retail recovery plan
Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on the chancellor to announce in Wednesdayโs (8 June) economic statement an โurgent recovery planโ for the โstruggling retail industryโ, which is developed with trade unions and retail employers. Some of the factors, Usdaw is urging the government to cover fundamental business rates, an…
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3 JulyEconomy
Consumer confidence increases in Juneย ย ย
GfKโs fourth Covid-19 flash report has revealed Consumer Confidence Index increased by three points to -27 over the past two weeks. Joe Staton, GfKโs client strategy director, said after the recent โnear-historic lowโ of -36 for the Consumer Confidence Barometer last month, there are some early signs of improvement across…
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Jun- 2020 -30 JuneCoronavirus
Reopening is ‘no magic bullet’ for retail, says BRC
Reopening is โno magic bulletโ for retail, the British Retail Consortium has warned despite UK footfall improving since lockdown restrictions were lifted earlier this month. The BRCโs footfall tracker found that UK footfall decreased 53.4% year-on-year during the second week of reopening in England and NI. This is compared to…
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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.ย From today, small businesses can sign-up to access the support package through Google, who has committed to helping one million small…
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22 JuneEconomy
Chancellor mulls VAT cut and could follow up with autumn tax rises
Chancellorย Rishi Sunakย is reportedly considering cutting VAT in order to help stimulate the economy but could follow the move up with a set of Autumnย taxย rises. According to theย Financial Times, Sunak is planning deferred tax rises and cuts to public spending in his autumn Budget as a follow up to further stimulus…
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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…
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17 JuneRetailers
Bira vows to โfightโ for retailers who missed out on Covid-19 support
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has vowed to continue to โfight for retailersโ 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 committeeโs report is…
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17 JuneAdvice
11 ways to encourage the high street to remain Covid-secureย
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…
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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 โ#ForgottenLtd Campaignโ, which is campaigning for fair and equal government support for small…
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15 JuneCoronavirus
Usdaw urges public to โrespect shopworkersโ as shops are allowed to reopen
Shopworkers unionย Usdawย 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 comesย as Usdaw released statistics revealing one in six shop workers have suffered abuse on every shift, during the coronavirus pandemic. The statistics revealed 62%…
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