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A quarter of a million jobs lost in five years in the UK retail sector

Mar 24, 2025 United Kingdom

The UK retail sector has lost nearly a quarter of a million jobs over the past five years, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), highlighting the sector’s ongoing struggles

In December 2024, there were 2.88 million retail jobs in the UK, traditionally the highest point of the year due to seasonal increases over Christmas. However, the four-quarter average fell to 2.84 million jobs, down 70 000 on the previous year and 249 000 fewer than five years ago.

The ONS data also shows that there were 1.50 million part-time jobs and 1.34 million full-time jobs on average over the four quarters last year. In addition, the number of full-time jobs is 106 000 lower than five years ago and the number of part-time jobs is 142 000 lower than five years ago.

“The number of retail jobs in 2024 was the lowest since the data began in 1996, despite total jobs in the economy continuing to rise”, said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at the British Retail Consortium (BRC). However, “while this decline in retail jobs should be a concern to communities everywhere, worse could be yet to come”, she warned.

The BRC is worried about future job cuts, with many retailers planning hiring freezes or job cuts in response to rising costs resulting from the October Budget. Part-time jobs are of particular concern. “200 000 part-time jobs have already been lost over the last seven years, and up to 160 000 more part-time roles are at risk in the next three years”, noted Dickinson.

“Flexible retail roles are an important stepping stone for many people, whether it’s a first job out of school or a part-time role for those returning to the workforce or with caring responsibilities”, she argued, while pointing to the potential negative impact of the government’s proposed Growth and Skills Levy and Employment Rights Bill, which could make it more difficult for retailers to offer flexible roles or invest in training.

Image Credits: Reinaldo Sture on Unsplash

United Kingdom Economy Employment Retail