Britain’s biggest retailers are more pessimistic about the prospects for the sector this year than in any time in the past five years as fears about Brexit and consumer confidence grow.
A survey of the men and women chairing Britain’s top 50 retailers showed that 40 per cent were pessimistic about the year ahead. Korn Ferry Institute, which carried out the survey, said that it reflected a 33 per cent increase from last year.
The biggest concerns include the outcome of the election and the country’s economic prospects after Brexit. Other issues include access to labour, particularly workers from the EU, inflation and consumer confidence.
Stefano Pessina, of Walgreens Boots Alliance, said that Boots employed a “lot of non-Brits” and said that securing proper access