The latest Retail Employment Monitor from the British Retail Consortium has shown that jobs in retail have declined 0.9% for the first three months of 2016. This is the largest decline since 2014.
The amount of full-time employees in non-food roles showed an increase, but in the food sector job numbers fell, as did the number of outlets.

BRC chief executive, Helen Dickinson said: “These figures confirm that the rate of change within retail is quickening as the digital revolution reshapes the industry, more property leases come up for renewal and the cost of labour goes up, while the cost of technology goes down.

“Our recent Retail 2020 report looks at these factors in detail and shows that they could result in as many as 900,000 fewer jobs in retail by 2025, but those that remain will be more productive and higher earning. Today’s employment numbers seem to suggest that we have arrived at the beginning of this predicted downward trend.”

“While the UK unemployment rate continues to fall, the retail sector is still undergoing a challenging time. Food retailers continue to be most affected, with the fall in full-time employees in the food sector driving the slight overall decline” commented Christina Tolvas-Vincent, head of retail employment at Bond Dickinson who co-authored the report.

“The vast majority of retailers intend to keep staffing levels unchanged over the next quarter, revealing a sense of uncertainty which could be attributable to June’s EU referendum. It is also likely that the recently implemented National Living Wage will be having an effect on the industry as one of the biggest employers in the UK.”