- The new industry-led Council will seek to encourage
growth and positive change in the sector as it adapts to
rapidly changing consumer habits.
The first industry-led Retail Sector Council was officially
launched today (7 March 2018) by Retail Minister and Richard
Pennycook, Chairman of Fenwick, The Hut Group and Howden
Joinery Group.
The Council will meet regularly with industry to discuss
the challenges the sector faces. They will review how best
retailers could adapt to changing consumer behaviour, the
business environment and opportunities such as the
development of new technologies to improve customer
service, the chances to grow skills through a sector push
on high-value training and ways to boost sector
productivity and its economic health.
Senior management from Boots, Amazon and other renowned
retailers will sit on the Council as well as the British
Retail Consortium. Together, with government, they will
provide expert advice to the sector and contribute to its
future direction.
Retail Minister said:
The UK’s retail sector is undergoing rapid structural
changes with consumers increasingly favouring online
shopping and rising operating costs for retailers.
Our new collaborative Retail Sector Council will bring
government and industry together to look at how best to
ensure the industry adapts to meet the changing demands
of consumers.
Richard Pennycook, co-chair of the Retail Sector Council:
I am delighted to be co-chairing the first Retail Sector
Council, which comes at a moment of unprecedented change
for our sector. Retail is one of the largest private
sector employers in the country, and the Council will
provide strategic oversight of the challenges we are
facing by seeking positive change and increased
productivity.
“We will be working together with industry and government
to deliver our vision for the future of retail.
The UK’s retail sector is a driving force in the economy
and essential to our high streets, local and regional
communities. The formation of the council follows other
government action to create a Britain fit for the future
including the government’s response to the independent
Taylor Review, which ensures employment law and practices
keep pace with the modern ways of working, and its
ambitious Industrial Strategy which sets out a long term
plan to boost the productivity and earning power of
businesses and people throughout the UK.
In 2016, the retail sector added a gross value of £94.6
billion to the UK economy; the new Council will aim to
address key sector issues including skills and increasing
productivity.
Notes to editors
Retail Sector Council members:
-
, Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State, Minister for Small Business,
Consumers and Corporate Responsibility, Co-Chair, Retail
Council
- Richard Pennycook, Co-Chair, Retail Council, Chairman
of Fenwick, The Hut Group and Howden Joinery Group and
previously CEO of the Co-operative Group. Richard is also
Chair of the British Retail Consortium and lead
non-executive board member of the Department for Education
- Doug Gurr, UK Country Manager, Amazon
- Sir Charlie Mayfield, Chairman, John Lewis Partnership
- Elizabeth Fagan, Senior Vice President, Managing
Director Boots UK & ROI
- Nick Beighton, CEO, ASOS
- Ursula Lidbetter, CEO, Lincolnshire Cooperative
- John Hannett, General Secretary, Union of Shop,
Distributive and Allied Workers
- Diane Savory, Chair, GFirst LEP
- Victoria Robertshaw, CEO, Keelham Farm Shop
- Helen Dickinson, CEO, British Retail Consortium
- James Lowman, CEO, Association of Convenience Stores
