Due to rising inflation, British shops are axing more and more workers to offset rising costs. Jobs in the industry fell by 2.2% compared to the same period last year, with total number of hours worked also falling by 6% according to the British Retail Consortium. The inflation rate coupled with the rise of online shopping, has had a huge effect on the high street, leading to 14% of retailers making plans to reduce headcount whereas in 2016, none had announced their intention to do so.