BRC calls on Andy Burnham to back manifesto for jobs, growth and affordability
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has launched its Buy into Retail Manifesto, which calls on Andy Burnham to work with retailers to support reforms to employment costs, business rates, energy and regulation.
The BRC said this will be needed to support the government’s ambition for jobs, growth and a thriving high street, and to give retailers the “confidence and certainty to invest in jobs, growth and affordability.”
Retail employs 2.8 million people, but the BRC said rising costs. including a £6.5 billion increase in employment costs and National Insurance over two years, are putting many jobs at risk, with 400,000 lost over the last decade.
Subscribe to TRBBurnham’s proposals include spreading jobs across the country, making “high streets a symbol of Britain’s renaissance,” and reforming business rates.
The manifesto also calls on the government to use recent legislation to crack down on retail crime, cut the cost of employing young people, and ensure skills and employment rights reforms raise standards without harming employment.
The BRC also wants the government to make electricity costs competitive for retailers, support investment in retail sites across the country, ensure goods keep moving freely across borders with fair competition, and strip back overlapping regulation that adds to prices.
Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive, said: “Retail is where the economy shows up in everyday life. It is where millions of people earn a living. Retail is part of the everyday economy, touching every community across the UK.
“When retail thrives, more people are in work, investment flows into local communities, and fierce competition drives prices down for families. But cumulative costs and fragmented policy decisions are holding the industry back.
“Retailers have absorbed £6.5 billion in additional employment costs since 2024, as well as billions more in new packaging taxes, business rates, and rising electricity costs. The consequences are clear: fewer jobs, less investment and higher prices for consumers.
“Andy Burnham has made collaborating with business to drive growth, high streets, and living standards central to his ambition. Retail is a key partner to deliver it: with the right policies, retail can drive investment, support jobs in every postcode, and keep household essentials affordable. Our manifesto offers a path for Mr Burnham to support the millions of people that rely on retail every day.”
