New Retail Sector Council launches
A new industry-led Retail Sector Council has been launched by Retail Minister Andrew Griffiths and Richard Pennycook, chairman of Fenwick, The Hut Group and Howden Joinery Group.
The Council will meet regularly with representatives of the retail sector to discuss the challenges the industry faces.
Griffiths said: “The UK’s retail sector is undergoing rapid structural changes with consumers increasingly favouring online shopping and rising operating costs for retailers.
“Our new collaborative Retail Sector Council will bring government and industry together to look at how best to ensure the industry adapts to meet the changing demands of consumers.”
The Council’s remit will include reviewing how best retailers can adapt to changing consumer behaviour, the business environment and opportunities such as the development of new technologies to improve customer service. It will also look at how to grow skills through a sector push on high-value training and ways to boost sector productivity.
It be will be made up of senior managers from the likes of Boots and Amazon as well as the British Retail Consortium.
Pennycook added: “Retail is one of the largest private sector employers in the country, and the Council will provide strategic oversight of the challenges we are facing by seeking positive change and increased productivity. We will be working together with industry and government to deliver our vision for the future of retail.”
