All Policy & legal articles
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AnalysisWill a two-week ceasefire lower the pressure on UK retail?
Overnight, the United States of America and Iran announced they had reached an agreement on a two-week ceasefire. Will a cessation of hostilities bring some much-needed relief to the sector?
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Opinion‘Government suggestion of war ‘profiteering’ was cheap politics’
The tone at a meeting between grocers and chancellor Rachel Reeves was more moderate than feared. Now the government should take on board retailers’ ideas about how to minimise costs arising from the Middle East war, believes George MacDonald
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NewsRetailers welcome ‘constructive’ meeting with government on war costs impact
After a clash last week over suggestions of potential war profiteering, a rescheduled meeting between grocers and chancellor Rachel Reeves was described as “constructive”.
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NewsChancellor to meet grocers to discuss war cost-of-living impact
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will meet supermarket chiefs today amid concern about rising costs following the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
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NewsRetailers brace as business rates costs soar to over £37bn
UK retailers are braced for a fresh cost increase, with nationwide business rates receipts set to rise over 10% from tomorrow to more than £37bn.
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NewsBoots overhauls baby food range to meet new government standards
Boots is transforming its baby food range to help families to make healthier choices, in line with new government guidelines.
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FeatureShein and Temu: can retail ever be the same again?
The ultimate disruptors, Shein and Temu, have built empires on being ultra-cheap, with traditional high street players left to pay the price. Retaliation from new regulators and customs officials is just around the corner, but after changing what Brits think products are worth, will the industry ever go back to normal?
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NewsBRC welcomes government decision to crack down on late payments
The BRC has welcomed a decision made by the government to introduce new measures on late payments for small businesses.
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NewsUK retail sales fall by most since March 2020
UK retail sales in the month of March tumbled by the most since April 2020, and the closure of the majority of non-food shops during the first weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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NewsPets at Home responds to CMA price cap ruling
Pets at Home responds to Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) call for vets to cap prescription fees for pets at £21.
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Opinion‘Next will set the tone on retail’s prospects when it reveals results as war rages’
Fashion powerhouse Next reports soon. The industry will look to chief executive Lord Wolfson for his views on prospects as war unsettles the global economy, says George MacDonald
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NewsHarvey Nichols and JD Williams among retailers named for underpaying staff
The retailers were among 389 businesses named by the Department for Business and Trade as failing to pay some of their workers the minimum wage
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NewsRetail role cuts risk a ‘jobless generation’, warns BRC
The decline in the number of retail roles available in the UK means the country faces the prospect of a “jobless generation”, the boss of the British Retail Consortium has warned.
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NewsA fifth of UK customers have witnessed violence or abuse of shopworkers
More than 14 million people across the UK have witnessed violence or abuse against retail workers in the last year, according to new survey data from the BRC.
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NewsBusinesses to be paid grants in a bid to get more young people in employment
The government is set to give UK businesses a grant to hire more young people to tackle youth unemployment.
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NewsEstée Lauder launches legal action against Jo Malone
Cosmetics giant Estée Lauder has taken legal action against UK perfumer Jo Malone, after she used her name on a fragrance for fashion retailer Zara.
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NewsEmployment Rights Act risks backfiring for young workers, BRC warns
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that opportunities for young people risk being narrowed if the employment reforms aimed at strengthening security reduce the availability of entry-level roles.
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VideoWatch: Retail leaders reveal 2026’s biggest challenges and opportunities
Morrisons CEO Rami Baitiéh, Sephora UK MD Sarah Boyd and Dobbies boss David Robinson tell us about the challenges and opportunities facing retail.
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AnalysisFashion fears on price and product grow as conflict grounds buying teams
The leaders of UK fashion retailers have told Retail Week the sector may be just a few months away from availability issues with buying and merchandising teams grounded at home and abroad, and are bracing for added price hikes with supply chains left in chaos by the deepening conflict in the Middle East.
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Chart of the WeekWhat will disrupt the retail industry the most in 2026?
This year’s edition of the AlixPartners Disruption Index showed that nine out of 10 retail leaders believe industry business models need to change, with the report saying that retail was likely to be one of the most disrupted sectors in the economy