Economy
Economic conditions have a direct impact on consumer spending, supply chain costs, and trading performance across the UK pet industry. Pet Gazette tracks how inflation, interest rates, labour shortages, and broader macroeconomic pressures affect pet retailers, wholesalers, and brand distributors. Coverage includes commentary on pet sector resilience during downturns, price sensitivity among shoppers, and shifts in demand for premium vs value ranges. We also report on government economic policy, retail footfall data, and financial forecasts relevant to pet businesses navigating changing market conditions.
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Jun- 2020 -30 JuneCoronavirus
Reopening is โno magic bulletโ for retail, says BRC
Reopening is โno magic bulletโ for retail, theย Britishย Retail Consortium has warned despite UK footfall improving since lockdown restrictions were lifted earlier this month. Theย BRCโs footfall tracker found that UK footfall decreased 53.4% year-on-year during the second week of reopening in England and NI. This is compared to a decrease of…
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26 JuneRetailers
Google UK launches support package for small UK businesses
Google UK has pledged to support small businesses across the country with a new package of products, tools and services to support the reopening and growth of British retail.ย From today, small businesses can sign-up to access the support package through Google, who has committed to helping one million small…
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22 JuneIndustry News
Chancellor mulls VAT cut and could follow up with autumn tax rises
Chancellorย Rishi Sunakย is reportedly considering cutting VAT in order to help stimulate the economy but could follow the move up with a set of Autumnย taxย rises.ย According to theย Financial Times, Sunak is planning deferred tax rises and cuts to public spending in his autumn Budget as a follow up to further stimulus…
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19 JuneCoronavirus
92% of shopworkers oppose longer Sunday working hours, says Usdaw
Some 92% of retail staff in England have opposed large shops opening for more than six hours on a Sunday, as the government considers deregulating Sunday trading. According to a survey by shopworkers trade union Usdaw, 66% of the 11,000 retail staff said they feel they are pressured to work…
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15 JuneRetailers
Usdaw urges public to โrespect shopworkersโ as shops are allowed to reopen
Shopworkers unionย Usdawย has urged customers to respect staff and employers to ensure safety in stores, as shops are allowed to reopen from today (15 June). The news comesย as Usdaw released statistics revealing one in six shop workers have suffered abuse on every shift, during the coronavirus pandemic. The statistics revealed 62%…
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12 JuneEconomy
UK GDP slumps over 20% in April as full impact of Covid-19 is felt
GDP slumped by 20.4% in April 2020, following a fall of 5.8% in March, according to the latest figures from theย Officeย for National Statistics (ONS). It is the biggest monthly fall since the ONSโ series began in 1997, with the measure also falling by 10.4% in the three months to April…
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10 JuneCoronavirus
UK GDP expected to decline 7.2% in 2020 amid ongoing pandemic
The continuing impact of the Covid-19 virus is expected to see the UK economy contract by 7.2% in 2020, with the economy unlikely to be able to fully restart until a vaccine or effective treatments for the virus are available. This is according to KPMG UKโs latest quarterly Economic Outlook,…
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9 JuneCoronavirus
Bira opposed to proposed relaxation of Sunday trading laws
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has expressed concern for proposed relaxation of Sunday trading laws. Under plans being suggested by the government, England could suspend Sunday trading laws for a year in a bid to boost the economy. However, Bira, who has added its support to the โKeep Sunday…
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May- 2020 -26 MayCoronavirus
Non-essential retailers set to open in June
Thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres across England are set to reopen next month once they are โCovid-19 secureโ and can show customers will be kept safe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said. All non-essential retailers including shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics,…
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13 MayCoronavirus
UK economy shrinks by 2% as pandemic takes its toll
The UKโs economy shrank by 2% in the three months to 31 March 2020, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which also found that gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 5.8% during March, the largest fall…
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