Policy Matters: Results from the latest QES

POLICY MATTERS

Northamptonshire Chamber represents your views to the people who matter

Business leaders across our region say there is little to cheer over the UK economy avoiding a double-dip recession. The latest GDP figures show that the economy grew in the final quarter of 2020 by one per cent but, overall, it shrank by 9.9% throughout the year.

While the vaccine rollout offers optimism for many businesses, the scarring caused by the pandemic will likely be highlighted as government support begins to wind down, with the very real prospect of continued postBrexit disruption, any recovery may be slower than the Bank of England currently predicts.

The current drip-feed approach to support measures means firms cannot plan for more than a few weeks ahead.

The focus for the Chamber of Commerce Policy Network will be to continue to amplify the voice of businesses throughout our region to ensure the support that firms desperately need is made available by the Government.

Businesses will have welcomed a clear roadmap back to a sense of normality, when on 22 February in an address to Parliament, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out a timeline on when restrictions could begin to be gradually lifted but said the easing of lockdown would be guided by data, not dates. He said he wanted the current lockdown to be the last and the easing of restrictions to be irreversible, beginning with the reopening of schools and other education establishments, building to a potential full reopening of society and the economy on 21 June.

It has clearly been a huge challenge for the Government to get the balance right between the health of the economy and the health of the nation.

An area that can certainly benefit from a more balanced approach by Government is the Business Rates system. The Chamber will continue to urge the Chancellor to extend the business rates support for those firms hardest hit by Covid-19 - after the announcement of a further delay to the overdue reform of the whole system. The need to deliver fundamental change to this longstanding drag on business has become

‘BUSINESSES WILL HAVE only more pressing in the light of Covid-19. Further delay in the reforming of a broken system will only hamper recovery by continuing

WELCOMED A to exacerbate business cash flow concerns as CLEAR ROADMAP part of the fixed cost base that firms can do little BACK TO A SENSE OF NORMALITY’ to push downward. The concerns about business rate reform, support from Government and the impacts of Brexit are reported to our Chamber in a variety of ways. But most notably in our Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), we would encourage every business leader within our county to complete this survey to help your Chamber to create an accurate picture of the current landscape.

For further information about the QES visit www.northants-chamber.co.uk/ representation/quarterly-economic-surveys

NEW TECHNOLOGY AND ANCIENT RECIPES BRING ‘BLOOMIN HEALTHY’ RESULTS

A company which provides ‘natural products for a longer, healthier life’ is combining the latest technology with ancient recipes to revolutionise the way people think about vitamins and supplements.

A small number of dietary and nutritional supplement companies have begun using nano technology, or liposomes, to help people’s bodies better absorb the supplements and vitamins they take to stay healthy.

Northampton-based Bloomin Healthy, which can track all its products back to their source, is a leading proponent of the technology in the field in the UK.

Director Amrit Hans (pictured) said: “The past year has been testing for everyone. A lot of us have become more aware of what we’re putting into our bodies and many people have start taking vitamins or health supplements in a bid to improve their health or boost immunity.

“The problem is many multivitamins tablets provide no clear benefit and go straight through your body without being absorbed by it. A few years ago, John Hopkins researchers reviewed evidence about supplements from three studies and in an editorial on their findings they urged people to ‘stop wasting their money’ on them.

“This is where we come in. We’re fighting to make sure supplements are worth something and don’t simply go through the body and have very little impact.

“We combine all-natural vitamins, minerals and plant extracts with liposomal delivery so our bodies more willingly accept them into our bloodstreams and as a result they boost our immunity for far longer periods of time.”