THE Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) is urging Phillip Hammond to include in his Autumn Budget measures that will boost consumer spending and stimulate private-sector investment.
The call comes as the British Retail Consortium proposed a series of targeted measures to the Chancellor, aimed at supporting the retail industry and maximising its future contribution to the UK economy.
Hammond will present his Autumn Budget to Parliament on November 22 and David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, hopes it will be used to respond positively to the challenges faced by the retail industry.
“With official figures showing 16,400 fewer Scottish retail jobs and 1831 fewer shops since 2008, injecting some much needed confidence into the economy is paramount and should begin with keeping down the cost of living and the cost of doing business,” Lonsdale said.
He added that “substantial outlays on digital infrastructure, a more highly skilled workforce, and revamped logistics and distribution capability” are required in order to address these issues faced by the sector.
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