Retail consortium calls on Government to protect Saturday jobs

The British Retail Consortium has asked the Government to ensure employment reforms do not make it harder for retailers to create opportunities for Brits to get into work.

It comes as new polling by Opinium, commissioned by the BRC, found that 80% of UK adults believe part-time work, including the traditional “Saturday job”, is important in helping young people into employment.

Support rises to 91% among those aged 55 and over, underlining the enduring value many place on these jobs as their own first steps into the world of work.

For generations, retail has helped millions of people begin their careers, many through Saturday jobs.

Today, retail and its supply chain account for almost a quarter (23%) of all youth employment. Around 780,000 retail jobs are held by 16 to 25-year-olds, with more than half (55%) working part-time, underlining the industry’s long-standing role in providing flexible, entry-level employment.

But these roles are under pressure, with retail losing almost 400,000 jobs over the past decade, reducing the number of entry-level opportunities available to young people.

Retailers have faced an additional £6.5 billion in employment costs over the past two years following two increases to the National Living Wage and employer National Insurance Contributions.

Earlier this week, the Government’s own figures revealed that its Guaranteed Hours proposals could cost businesses an additional £2.9bn.

The BRC is calling on the government to ensure Guaranteed Hours reforms under the Employment Rights Act do not add to these pressures by making it harder for retailers to create flexible, entry-level roles.

Commenting on the development, Helen Dickinson, CEO at the British Retail Consortium, said: “For generations, Saturday jobs have given young people their first experience of work, helping them build confidence, develop new skills and take the first step in their careers. Retail has proudly provided these opportunities for millions of people, but they are becoming harder to sustain.”

Adding: “If the Burnham government is serious about tackling youth unemployment, it must not make it harder to create entry-level jobs. After £6.5 billion in additional employment costs over the past two years, businesses need policies that encourage recruiting young people, not discourage it. That means reducing the cost of employing young people, and proportionate Guaranteed Hours reforms.”