There may be as many as 900,000 fewer jobs in retail by 2025, according to a new report published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Although there may be less jobs it is thought those that remain will be higher earning and more productive. The reports also suggest that store closures on UK high streets and town centres could exacerbate the impact on employment in already damaged and weak regions.
The digital revolution is set to reshape the industry whilst quickening the rate of change within the UK retail workforce.
BRC chief executive, Helen Dickinson, said: “The key conclusions of today’s report are not surprising – there will be a further contraction in retail space and a reduction in the number of people employed in retail. Individual retailers will find their own paths to 2020 and beyond but from an industry perspective, we hope to see technology and competition resulting in better experiences for the customer and better jobs for those working in retail.”
“From a government perspective the more significant insights in this report lie in where and how these changes may happen and the differential impact they are likely to have on people and places across the country and we would like to work with government to manage the impact of the changes on the most vulnerable”.
“From a government perspective the more significant insights in this report lie in where and how these changes may happen and the differential impact they are likely to have on people and places across the country and we would like to work with government to manage the impact of the changes on the most vulnerable”.
