Shop employers have been forced to increase redundancies in a bid to save money in the face of the implementation of a raised national minimum wage. Up to 4,000 jobs have been made redundant due to cost pressures as well as increasing technology making certain roles more and more obsolete. The wage will increase from £7.20 an hour up to £7.50, beginning in April; A move which is seen to be the first step to achieving the government target of £9 by the year 2020.