BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson, has written a piece for the Daily Mail regarding the Employment Rights Bill. 📰 In its current form the ERB will lead to 'fewer jobs not better ones.' 💬 Read the piece in full below. 👇 www.dailymail.co.uk/money/market...

There are 74,000 fewer jobs in retail than a year ago. ❌ Viscount Younger of Leckie raised the comments made by our CEO, Helen Dickinson, in the House of Lords today. 📢

A reminder that we should all show respect to retail workers this Christmas and #ShopKind. ❤️ SRC Director, David Lonsdale, was joined by @ross-greer.bsky.social MSP to spread that very message. 📢

BRC-Opinium Consumer Sentiment Monitor. Confidence saw a small uptick in December but remains gloomy.☹️ State of the economy up to -38 (from -44)📈 Personal finances up to -10 (from -16)💷 Retail spending expectations slipped again. 🛍️ #consumerconfidence

📜Employment Rights Bill passes through the Lords. 📜 It is vital that the Government consults with business during the implementation roadmap and that this time period isn't compressed as a result of the delayed royal asent.🗓️ 📢CEO, Helen Dickinson, reacts to the news below.

📉Inflation eased last month according to the ONS, with headline inflation down to 3.2% and food inflation to 4.2%. 💷Extensive discounting helped bring down prices, including clothing, footwear and some meat products - offering welcome value for shoppers ahead of Christmas.🎅

🌎New BRC report using industry-leading, real-world data shows UK retail has made progress in some areas on Net Zero. ❌But with 93% of emissions in scope 3, radical collaboration across supply chains, consumers & government is essential to meet the challenge. brc.org.uk/news-and-eve...

🚨Retail job losses = lost opportunities. 🚨 ONS data shows retail employment down 74,000 in a year and 355,000 since 2015 - now at a record low. 📉 These are vital local, flexible jobs for students, parents & communities nationwide. 👍 BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson, reacts below. 👇

The Welsh Retail Consortium has joined forces with British Independent Retailers Association to urge the Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford MS to scrap the proposed business rates surtax. 🏪 brc.org.uk/news-and-eve...

🛍️BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor – Nov 2025: 😬Pre-Budget nerves hit Black Friday. • Total sales up 1.4% YoY • Food +3.0% 🥗 • Non-Food +0.1% 👕 • In-store Non-Food -0.3% • Online Non-Food +0.5% #Retail #BRC

14 Scottish retailers with 295 stores are urging the Scottish Government to match England’s 10% business rates discount. ✅ 🏪They warn higher costs risk pushing investment south. Scotland’s shops matter—back our high streets and keep retail competitive. #Scotland #Retail

👎Budget jitters + bad weather hit November footfall. 📉BRC-Sensormatic data shows UK footfall down 0.8% YoY: High Streets -1.2%, Retail Parks -0.4%, Shopping Centres -1.3%. NI bucks the trend at +2.7%, while England sees the biggest drop (-1.0%).

Action on retail crime. 👮 A nationwide Winter of Action has launched to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour. 📜 Police, councils and businesses are joining forces to protect shoppers and retail workers with hotspot patrols, rapid enforcement and local action. 👏

'Tis the season to #ShopKind in Scotland. Fantastic to see support for our festive campaign from Kate Forbes MSP. 👏

👮Police and Crime Commissioners support the festive #ShopKind campaign. 👏Great to have Derbyshire's Deputy PCC Fatima Eltinay support us in our mission to get everyone to show a little Christmas kindness and respect to retail workers this festive season.🎄

👮Police and Crime Commissioners support the festive #ShopKind campaign. 👏Great to have Simon Foster PCC for the West Midlands, support us in our mission to get everyone to show a little Christmas kindness and respect to retail workers this festive season.🎄

👮Police and Crime Commissioners support the festive #ShopKind campaign. 👏Great to have Matthew Scott, PCC for Kent, support us in our mission to get everyone to show a little Christmas kindness and respect to retail workers this festive season.🎄

👮Police and Crime Commissioners support the festive #ShopKind campaign. 👏Great to have Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex, support us in our mission to get everyone to show a little Christmas kindness and respect to retail workers this festive season.🎄

🛍️ Black Friday comes early as competition heats up 📉 Shop price inflation fell to 0.6% in November. 🛒 Non-Food inflation dropped to -0.6%. 🥑 Food inflation eased to 3.0%, with: • Fresh Food at 3.6% • Ambient Food at 2.4% Retailers ramped up early Black Friday deals. 💸📦

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has written to the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance, @shonarobison.bsky.social MSP, urging her to introduce a business rates discount for retailers in order to maintain the economic viability of our high streets. 🏪

🎄 ’Tis the season to #ShopKind 🎄 Retail workers face 2,000+ incidents of violence & abuse every day, with spikes at Christmas. ❌ BRC, ACS, Usdaw Union & Retail Trust are urging everyone to treat retail and delivery colleagues with kindness and respect. 🙏

Scotland 'one bad budget away from losing our high streets' 📝 Read Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, David Lonsdale's monthly column in the @heraldscotland.bsky.social Scotland. 📰 www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2565...

NIRC Director, Neil Johnston, has warned that failure to act on rates will have consequences for retailers and high streets. ❌ www.irishnews.com/news/busines...

🎉Win for Retail in the #Budget. Following campaigning by the BRC... The Chancellor announced that she will introduce a new VAT relief for business donations of goods to charity. 🎁 ✅This removes a major tax barrier that has discouraged businesses from donating surplus stock.

Our concern around the new packaging tax was raised by Dr Neil Hudson MP in Parliament this week. 💬 With 80% of costs set to be passed onto consumers and funds not legally ringfenced, customers may not see the value for money they should expect from the tax. 💷 #EPR

Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, David Lonsdale, has given his verdict on the Chancellor's #Budget in the @scotsman.com. 📰 Read the article in full below.👇 www.scotsman.com/business/uk-...

Good progress made on the Employment Rights Bill. 👍 ✅BRC CEO, Helen Dickinson, has welcomed changes to day one rights as part of the ERB. 🤝We look forward to continuing to engage with Government on other areas such as guaranteed hours. brc.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, David Lonsdale, has reacted to the Chancellor's #Budget. 📜 🏪With England and Wales set to bring in business rates reductions, it is time for Scotland to follow suit. 🗓️All eyes on the Scottish Budget in January. #retail

👏A commitment to close the de minimis loophole. 👏 The UK retail industry is relieved to see the Chancellor pledge to close the de minimis loophole which has been exploited by companies to bypass customs duties.📦 Unfortunately, the proposed timeframe is too long. ❌

BRC namechecked in the #Budget. Yesterday, the Chancellor recognised the months of campaigning we have undertaken on business rates. The permanent reduction in rates is welcome but the inclusion of larger shops in the surtax will do little for retail investment and job creation.

Today's #Budget is a mixed bag for retail. The permanent reduction in business rates for some stores is welcome but the decision to include shops in the rates surtax does little to support retail investment and job creation. Our full reaction.👇 brc.org.uk/news-and-eve...

📜There are a number of other measures the Chancellor could take that would enable the retail industry to be an even greater vehicle for economic growth....📈 #Budget2025

🚢As a result of US tariffs, low value imports to the UK have increased by 53%. ❌These goods may not meet product safety standards, the government is losing out on tax revenue and UK retailers are fighting unfair competition. 📝The message for the Chancellor today is simple.

📢Today, the Chancellor delivers her annual #Budget. 💻Stay tuned to our Twitter feed to see what retailers want to see included. 🏪Staring off with changes to business rates....

Shoplifting on the rise. 📈New figures, published today, reveal that shoplifting rose by 15% in Scotland in the past year, 129% higher than the pandemic. 💷The funding of the Retail Crime Taskforce must be sustained to counter this. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564818...

Deputy Head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, Ewan MacDonald-Russell spoke to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee earlier today about HFSS regs. 💬 scottishparliament.tv/meeting/heal...

🚨 NIRC warns NI high streets risk falling behind as England & Wales move ahead with permanent business rates cuts for shops from April 2026. Director Neil Johnston urges the Executive to deliver a 3-year plan to permanently cut rates, keeping NI competitive. 🛍️🏬

📈 New stats show shop thefts in Scotland up 15% to over 48,000 incidents. SRC’s David Lonsdale calls the surge “appalling,” warning it fuels rising abuse of shop workers and higher costs for shoppers. The Retail Crime Taskforce is welcome but funding must be sustained. 👮

⚠️It's #Budget week.⚠️ 📢The asks of the retail industry are clear: 🏪Significant business rates reduction for stores < 500K rateable value. ✅Remove all shops that are >500k rateable value from the business rates surtax. www.thetimes.com/business/com...

Scotland risks falling behind as England & Wales move to permanent business-rates cuts for shops. Without action in the Scottish Budget, high streets could lose investment. 📜 SRC urges a permanent rates reduction to keep Scotland competitive. 💬 #Budget

CEO of BRC member, Richer Sounds, Julie Abraham, has urged the Chancellor to bring stability at the #Budget.✏️ 'Uncertainty makes it harder for retailers like us to decide whether to refurbish a store, hire more colleagues, or invest in new technology.'💬 www.dailymail.co.uk/money/market...

BRC Director of Insight, Kris Hamer, has reacted to today's ONS Retail Sales Index.👇

Standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker must cover delivery drivers. 🚲 In the House of Lords, Baroness Neville-Rolfe, outlines why her amendment to include delivery drivers is needed and should be taken forward. 💬 #retail

BRC Director of Insight, Kris Hamer, spoke to BBC News at Six last night, urging to Chancellor to use her #Budget to help ease food inflation.📺 Changes to business rates must give small and medium sized businesses a significant reduction in rates and ensure no shop pays more.🏪

BRC Economist, @harvirdhillon.bsky.social, spoke to LBC News earlier about the ONS CPI figures released this morning. 📻 While headline inflation eased to 3.6%, food inflation rose to 4.9% as a result of ongoing cost pressures. 📈 #inflation

📢 Food inflation back on the rise ahead of the #Budget. CPI falls to 3.6% but food inflation climbs to 4.9%. 💬BRC Director of Insight, Kris Hamer, has warned that with consumers still feeling the pinch, the Chancellor must avoid adding new cost pressures. #retail #inflation

WRC members met Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford MS to discuss plans for business rates and the Welsh #Budget. We welcomed recognition that retailers need a rates reduction but stressed Welsh competitiveness must be considered as decisions on discounts & any surtax are made.👍

Fantastic to see Baroness Neville-Rolfe propose an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which would see delivery drivers protected under the new standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker. 👏 75% of delivery drivers have been the victim of abuse while on the job. ❌

Business leaders have warned the Chancellor to not hit industry again at the #Budget.⚠️ Last year, retail was hit with billions of additional costs which has caused higher prices, job losses and store closures.❌ There is no room to absorb further burdens. www.cityam.com/industry-chi...

🌍 #BuyIntoRetail: Sustainable Sourcing 🌍 BRC member Dunelm is making big strides in responsible sourcing — from products using 50% lower-impact materials to progress on cotton, timber, polyester & steel. 👏 brc.org.uk/news-and-eve... #BuyIntoRetail #Sustainability #Sourcing