Responding to the latest statistics from the ONS High streets and retail
areas in Great Britain, which shows retail employment falling
sharply in high streets and shopping centres between 2015 and
2024, Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail
Consortium, said:
“Britain's high streets are under strain, and the loss of
employment opportunities make that impossible to ignore. Retail
jobs on central high streets have fallen by almost a fifth in
less than a decade, while employment in shopping centres has
dropped by nearly a third. That is the steady loss of one of the
biggest sources of jobs, everywhere in the country.
“Retail remains the UK's largest private sector employer and
businesses want to keep investing in high streets, creating
opportunities for young people entering the workforce and
supporting local economies. But the industry is facing a growing
cost-of-doing-business crisis, with employment costs alone rising
by more than £5 billion last year.
“People across the country want to see vibrancy in our local
communities. If government wants thriving high streets, it must
start removing barriers that hold back investment. Business rates
remain fundamentally broken, and the Employment Rights Act must
be implemented in a way that protects flexibility and jobs - not
puts them at risk."
