More than 90,000 roles were lost from the retail sector last year, as businesses continued to battle the “rising tide” of employment costs.
There were 2.7 million people employed in the retail sector in March 2025, down from 2.8 million the previous March, a fall of 93,000, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The four-quarter average smooths out seasonal hiring variations. Overall it means the total number of people employed in the sector has fallen by 364,000 since 2015.
In light of the figures, which come less than a week after its own Retail Jobs Report, the BRC urged the government to reconsider changes to the Employments Rights Bill to ensure that flexible and part-time roles are protected, or risk shutting out generations of young people, parents and carers from the workforce.
The majority of roles lost during the last decade have been part-time roles, which have fallen by 246,000, while full-time roles are down 117,000, the body highlights.
“More jobs have been lost in retail in a decade than exist across the whole of the fishing, car manufacture and steel-making industries combined,” said BRC CEO Helen Dickinson. “And while factory closures have quickly been met by promises of action, this wave of retail jobs losses appears to go unnoticed by government.”
Retail bosses including Next’s Simon Wolfson and Fortnum & Mason’s Tom Athron have warned that April’s increases to employers’ National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage will have a disproportional impact on part-time roles, limiting opportunities in the sector.
“The cost of employing people for full-time entry-level roles has risen by 10%, while the cost for part-time roles has increased by a massive 13%,” Dickinson said.
“This matters: retail jobs are a vital part of the local economy right across the country. From young people taking their first step into the world of work, to parents and carers returning to the workforce around other commitments, retail has flexible and local roles for everyone. When we take retail jobs away, we do a disservice to the local communities that rely on them.”
More retail jobs at risk
Over the next three years, the BRC estimates a further 160,000 part-time roles could be at risk, adding to more than 250,000 lost over the last 10 years.
“The government has a clear path to securing the future of these flexible and local jobs,” said Dickinson. “It must ensure the Employment Rights Bill tackles unscrupulous employers without hampering employment opportunities offered by responsible businesses. This will help the industry provide routes back into work for those who need it – a win-win for employees, employers, and the wider economy.”
The BRC used its Jobs Report to call for a steel industry-style intervention from the government.
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