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High streets of the future will need to think beyond retail, says new report

19 Jun 2023

Just 42% of people in the UK rate their local high street as good or very good, according to the latest Legal & General Rebuilding Britain Index.
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Stellar line-up for Independent Bookshop Week

19 Jun 2023

A stellar line-up of authors have been taking part in this week’s Independent Bookshop Week 2023 with the likes of Ann Cleeves, AJ Pearce, Danielle Brown, poet laureate Simon Armitage and... Read more…

Bira calls for level playing field as Amazon UK Services pays zero corporation tax again

8 Jun 2023

Bira, the British Independent Retailers Association, has expressed its concern and frustration after it was revealed that Amazon UK Services had, for the second consecutive year, paid zero... Read more…

Bank holidays fail to boost retail sales in May

7 Jun 2023

The three bank holiday weekends in May failed to boost UK retail sales, with growth slowing in May according to new industry data.
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Retailers need to rise to challenge of keeping the high street is relevant

7 Jun 2023

New data shows that the public is craving a change to their local high street in order to continue visiting it, with nearly half of those surveyed believing that high streets are no longer... Read more…

Retailers urged to prepare for ban on selling single use plastic

5 Jun 2023

The government has published guidance to help businesses prepare for the ban on single-use plastics which is due to come into force in October.
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Retail workers face money challenges at alarming rate

31 May 2023

A report published by financial institution Claro Money’s wellbeing division on the effects of money worries for retail workers found that 73% of retail workers feel negatively about their... Read more…

Federation of Independent Retailers says more needed to be done to support smaller businesses in Wales

24 May 2023

Whilst it has welcomed some elements of the Welsh Retail Action plan, the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) said more is needed to be done to support smaller businesses.
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Nearly half of customer service staff consider quitting over growing customer abuse

22 May 2023

More than two-fifths (44%) of customer service staff are considering leaving their roles due to increasing levels of cost-of-living fuelled abuse from customers.
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Friendliest high-street businesses include hairdressers and coffee shops, reports new study

22 May 2023

More than half of Britons (55%) say they have received helpful life advice from a local small business owner, new research reports.
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Shoppers look to reduce Christmas spending with more second-hand gifts

Posted on in Business News

Surveys by Oxfam and British Heart Foundation suggest that shoppers are not only looking to reduce spending this Christmas but to choose more second-hand and meaningful gifts.

charity shopfront

More than a third of festive shoppers (35%) will spend less on gifts this Christmas, typically cutting their budget by half, according to research commissioned by Oxfam. A combination of the cost-of-living crisis (66%), worries about gas and electricity bills (42%), a reluctance to get into debt (24%), and trying to be thriftier (39%), are driving people to cut back.

Almost three quarters (74%) of the 2,772 adults surveyed for Oxfam say that meaningful gifts, that don’t cost a lot, are best while concerns over the environmental impact of Christmas and a desire to shop more ethically are also driving shopping decisions.

23% of respondents said they’ll buy second-hand gifts this year because it’s more environmentally friendly. 27% say they will also choose gifts that have a positive social impact, such as charity gift cards or donations to a good cause.

More findings from Oxfam:
•    More than one in 10 (12%) say they will buy second-hand gifts with books top of the list
•    24% have agreed with family and friends to cut back on giving this year
•    34% of those buying for others plan to spend less per person this year compared to last
•    The average number of people on a Christmas gift list is reducing by one person, from 10 in 2021 to nine this year.

Lorna Fallon, Director of Retail for the charity said:

“We’re finding more people are shopping for books this year and Christmas shopping is well underway for unique gifts that won’t break the bank.

“Womenswear and menswear sales in our shops are also up, suggesting that customers are turning to charity shops to make their pound go as far as possible whilst supporting good causes.”
Similarly, a British Heart Foundation survey of 2,010 people found that almost half (46%) of Brits aged 16-24 and just over a fifth (22%) aged 55 and over said they will change their plans to buy from charity shops this festive season due to the crisis. BHF also found second-hand books came top of the list (26%), followed by toys (20%) and clothes (17%).

This survey found that 37% of shoppers say they are motivated to buy their Christmas presents from charity retailers to help fund a good cause, 34% to save money, 22% to be able to find unexpected treasures/items, and 21% to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director, said:

“We know this festive season is going to be tougher for many families across the UK – and this survey shows that due to the rising cost of living, the need to make our money go further is even greater.”

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