Manifesto for Retail

The retail industry in the United Kingdom is an outstanding success story. Retailers provide quality, choice and value to consumers. The retail sector invests heavily in its employees and its systems. Retail uses its space very productively – it is an innovator.

The sector has made an extremely important contribution to economic growth in recent years, but in 2005, with an ever increasing regulatory burden and a slowdown in consumer spending, retailers face tougher trading conditions as demand weakens but costs continue to increase.

Under these challenging conditions the retail sector requires a European and UK policy and legislative framework, which will encourage enterprise and growth, not stifle it is red tape.

This is our manifesto for retail and we would ask you to support our sector to sustain competitiveness and reduce unnecessary burdens on business. The BRC is calling for:

Full and rapid implementation of the Hampton Report to cut the burden of regulation on retailers.

No return of business rates to local authority control

An end to above inflation national minimum wage increases

Stronger penalties to deter retail crime

Removal of disincentives to the wider use of renewable energy

Click here to view the full manifesto as a pdf