Retail losses risk ‘jobless generation’, warns BRC

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said retail job losses risk a ‘jobless generation’ as Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed 2.86 million jobs in retail in December 2025. 

The four-quarter average for 2025 was 2.81 million jobs, down by 68,000 from 2024 and 383,000 fewer than in 2015, marking the lowest average on record.

Helen Dickinson, CEO at the BRC, said: “People everywhere are struggling to find jobs, youth employment is falling faster still, and the UK faces the prospect of a jobless generation. 

“The loss of almost 400,000 retail jobs over the past decade is the loss of hundreds of thousands of opportunities for young people to start earning for themselves, and for older people to return to the workforce.

“One in five people had their first job in retail, yet this vital step on the career ladder is cracking under the high costs of employment.”

Dickinson added: “In 2025 alone, the cost of employing a full-time entry-level worker rose by 10%, while part-time employment rose by over 13%. 

“The Government clearly recognises the scale of the challenge, and we welcome the expansion of the Youth Guarantee to open up more opportunities for young people.

“[70%] of young people say that flexibility is important at work, but this flexibility is now under threat from how the Employment Rights Act is implemented.”