UNIVERSAL CREDIT CALLS

RETAILERS NOT PRIORITISED FOR VACCINE

THE INDUSTRY HAS RESPONDED WITH DISMAY THAT RETAIL STAFFWILL NOT BE PRIORITISED FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE, DESPITECLEAR EVIDENCE THEY ARE AT HIGHER RISK.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has rejected prioritisation by occupation which means that retail staff will not be prioritised, despite a wealth of evidence showing that they are at higher risk. Last month the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released evidence on Covid death rates by occupation, which showed that many key workers are at a higher risk.

Retail trade union Usdaw has consistently campaigned for shopworkers to be prioritised for vaccination, so the union is deeply disappointed with the announcement.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, says: “Our members in the food supply industry are deeply disappointed by the news. The ONS last month demonstrated that many key workers, who are providing essential services during the pandemic, have an elevated Covid-19 related death rate. It is clear that close proximity to the public and other workers, as well as an indoor working environment are key factors in the spread of coronavirus infection. We strongly urge the Government to reconsider the decision.”

A THIRD OF ELIGIBLE SCOTS VACCINATED

The Scottish Government has announced that over 1.5 million people have had their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, representing one-third (33.4%) of those eligible.

In addition, the roll-out among those aged 65-69 has already exceeded the 80% take-up rate set out in the deployment plan and currently stands at 85% (255,266).

Meanwhile, second doses of the vaccine are being given to residents in care homes and the staff who care for them. Frontline Health and Social Care workers are also receiving their second injections. Supplies of vaccines were held back in order that these second doses could be delivered on time to these cohorts.

Heath Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “That is 1.5 million people in the groups which were prioritised to address 99% of preventable deaths associated with Covid-19.”

SIX YEARS OF GROWTH ‘WIPED OUT’ BY PANDEMIC

THE LATEST BRC ECONOMIC BRIEFING REPORT STATES THAT THEPANDEMIC HAS DELIVERED AN “EXTRAORDINARY SHOCK” TO THEUK ECONOMY, WIPING OUT SIX YEARS’ GROWTH IN 2020 ALONE.

The latest BRC Economic Briefing Report for February 2021 from BRC Retail Insight and Analytics has shown that the Covid-19 pandemic has delivered an “extraordinary shock to the UK economy”. In 2020 alone, the effects wiped out six years of consecutive growth.

In Q4 last year, GDP rose by 1.0%, down from 16.1% in Q3. In December, it grew by 1.2%, following November when it contracted by 2.3%.

Consumer spend recovery is expected to be the driver of economic rebound in 2021, but to what extent that will happen is unclear. The Bank of England estimates that between March and November, excess savings reached £125bn, or around 8% of annual household income, significantly above historical levels.

However, it is mostly retired households and households in the top 40% of the income distribution that have experienced marked increases in savings.

The UK’s labour market is running well below any measure of full employment. 800,000 jobs have been lost since the March 2020 lockdown. Employment fell to 75% in December from 76.6% in February, unemployment rose to 5.1% from 4% in February, and inactivity is rising.

UK ONLINE SHOPPERS ‘OUTSPEND THE WORLD’

New research shows that the average Brit spent £3,379 online last year – a world-beating figure – suggesting that the re-opening of non-essential stores on 12 April may come too late to save the High Street.

The study was completed on behalf of home delivery specialist ParcelHero and shows that UK consumers spent more online than consumers in any other country, and significantly ahead of America’s £2,753 average.

ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer

Research, David Jinks, says: “Our figures are supported by research from payment machine comparison site Merchant Machine, which found that, although China and the USA have a higher overall online spend, those nations have a far higher population than the UK. Merchant Machine found China spends £954.9bn and the USA £621.6bn, compared to the UK’s £174.3bn.

Both England and Scotland are set to reopen non-essential stores in April.

BESTWAY ROLLS OUT JISP

Bestway is making Jisp’s technology available to all its retail partners and corporate stores following a successful trial period. The awardwinning shopping and payment app partnered with Bestway in November 2020 with the trial officially commencing in January this year.

Dawood Pervez, MD of Bestway Wholesale, said: “We are delighted with the results of the pilot scheme that we unrolled with Jisp at the back end of 2020, which forms part of our commitment to our customers through supporting our retailers with service and innovation that is relevant and drives value into their business.”

UNIVERSAL CREDIT CALLS

Over half of workerson Universal Credit arestruggling to pay bills,leading shopworkers’ tradeunion Usdaw to call on theChancellor to retain the £20uplift. Usdaw has releasedsurvey results showing that57% of workers on UniversalCredit are struggling to paytheir gas and electric billsand 80% said they would beworried or very worried if theGovernment removed the £20weekly uplift.

BOOTS JOBS RISK

High street pharmacy Bootshas announced a furtherrestructure of its head office inBeeston, Nottinghamshire. Themove puts 300 jobs at risk.

SPAR NHS BOOST

Scottish Rugby, a long-termpartner of healthy hydrationdrinks company iPRO, hasteamed up with Spar Scotlandto donate iPRO Hydrate drinksto NHS Tayside to keep staffhealthy and boost morale.Over 6,000 iPRO drinks willbe on hand to help NHS staffover the coming weeks, askey workers continue the fightagainst the pandemic.