Fashion
More UK retail workers than ever at risk of quitting – report
Published
September 6, 2025
More than half of UK retail staff were at risk of leaving their jobs during spring than at any other time in the last two years over concerns around the insecurity of retail employment.
Some 54% of retail workers were a ‘flight risk’ between April and June, a 19% increase from the previous year, according to the latest Retail People Index from the Retail Trust and AlixPartners.
It is also the highest percentage that the Retail People Index has recorded since it began tracking wellbeing across the sector two years ago.
More than 600 employees were surveyed, and answers to questions about pay, recognition, development and work-related anxiety were among those used to help calculate the flight risk score, which shows the likelihood of employees leaving their jobs.
Overall, wellbeing fell seven points year-on-year, from 66 to 59, and the number of retail staff working while feeling physically or mentally unwell rose by 12%, to 44% of all employees.
The report says its findings follow separate data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which shows that there were 93,000 fewer retail jobs in March 2025 than in March 2024. The ONS also recently revealed that retail saw one of the largest drops in job vacancies between May and July 2025 compared to any other sector.
According to the Index, the impact of leading under-resourced teams has contributed to a decline in happiness levels among retail managers, which fell by 11%. This marks the first time that managers have reported feeling unhappier than non-managers since the publication of the first Index.
Many managers reported feeling unfairly paid and unrecognised for doing something well. Meanwhile, the number of retail workers reporting a positive relationship with their manager also dropped to its lowest level in two years.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Our research has previously shown retail workers tend to be at their happiest going into the summer, once the busy winter is well behind them, but ongoing insecurities around jobs, finances and the political climate are continuing to take their toll on people working in retail.
“The rising employment costs announced in last year’s budget are placing huge economic pressures on the sector and we’re seeing this felt most severely by those working in management roles right now. They are the ones having to hold often under-resourced and unhappy teams together, and our findings suggest they feel inadequately supported for doing so.”
He added: “The financial pressures impacting the retail sector are largely outside of employers’ control, but there is an urgent need to address the particular burden this is now having on managers and to prevent the knock-on effect it will also have on their teams. Providing more training and support for leaders to look after themselves and those working for them is crucial if we are to prevent a further decline in morale, higher turnover and greater instability at a time when resilience is more important than ever.”
Laura Bond, a director at AlixPartners, also said: “This quarter’s Retail People Index reveals urgent challenges for retailers. With 54% of employees looking to leave their roles – the highest flight risk since our tracking began – and wellbeing scores dropping to 59%, below the critical 60% threshold, it’s clear that employees are struggling. Presenteeism rates have soared to 44%, the highest level seen in 18 months, while manager-employee relationships have deteriorated and reached a 24-month low.
“The seasonal spring wellbeing ‘bounceback’ is absent this year, and managers, traditionally the most resilient group, have seen an 11% decline in happiness year-on-year. Retailers must fundamentally shift their workplace culture to address these deeper issues, investing in manager support, overall morale, and staff wellbeing. Failing to do so risks continued talent loss, weakened service, and operational strain in an already challenging market.”
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
Published
October 24, 2025
Global athletic brand New Balance has expanded its brick-and-mortar network in India and opened a mono-brand outlet in Gujarat at shopping centre VR Surat. The launch was marked by an in-store showcase event.
“We are thrilled to bring New Balance to Surat- a city known for its energy, ambition, and growing fitness culture,” said New Balance India’s country manager Radeshwer Davar in a press release. “This opening reinforces our commitment to expanding our footprint across India and connecting with local communities through sport and lifestyle. We welcome Surat’s vibrant community to experience New Balance at VR Surat.”
The store houses the label’s 1080, Rebel, 9060, and latest M1000 series, featuring its ‘Fresh Foam X’ and ‘FuelCell technologies.’ For its inaugural showcase, guests were immersed in New Balance’s latest collection and explored its fusion of performance and aesthetics.
New Balance first entered India in the early 2000s but later closed its stores, re-entering the country in 2016, Indian Retailer reported. Today, the brand counts brick-and-mortar stores in cities including Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
Headquartered in Boston, US, New Balance reported worldwide sales of $7.8 billion in 2024. The brand describes itself as independent since 1906 and employs 10,000 associates globally.
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
In a letter to Philip Butler, chair of the Section 301 Committee of the Office of the US Trade Representative, Beth Hughes, AAFA vice president for trade and customs policy, said the association
US trade body AAFA recently said it does not believe the application of the Section 301 tariffs to remedy China’s ‘harmful’ trade practices and policies has been an effective tool.
It recommended the US administration to determine if any of the exclusions listed should qualify for permanent or more-longer term exclusion periods to give US companies more predictability.
strongly supports the extension of the current China 301 exclusions, which are set to expire on November 29 this year, and recommended the US administration to determine if any of the exclusions listed should qualify for permanent or more-longer term exclusion periods to give US companies more predictability.
Close to 97 per cent of apparel, footwear and related goods sold in the United States today
are imported. Yet the United States maintains high duties on these products—some of the highest levied on any product—adversely affecting US consumers who ultimately pay those duties in the form of higher prices, the letter noted.
“Although the average trade weighted tariff rate imposed on all products was approximately 2.35 per cent in 2024, the average trade weighted tariff rate in 2024 on knit apparel was 14.90 per cent, woven apparel 14.29 per cent, footwear 12.25 per cent, home textiles 8.70 per cent, and 13.85 per cent on travel goods.1 Moreover, the amount of tariffs collected on imports of US apparel, footwear, textiles, and travel goods in 2024 exceed $18.3 billion,” the letter said.
This burden falls disproportionately on products imported by the sector, even though many of these products are no longer made in commercial quantities in the United States, AAFA observed.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Held at Singapore Expo Hall 6, from 10am–6pm on 28–31 October, Epson will showcase the SureColor G6030, its first Direct-to-Film (DTFilm) printer, and the SureColor F9530H, its latest advanced dye-sublimation printer, alongside a comprehensive range of solutions designed to empower both industrial producers and small businesses in the growing personalised goods market.
Epson will spotlight its latest digital textile and large-format printing innovations at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, including its first Direct-to-Film printer and new dye-sublimation models.
The showcase highlights efficiency, versatility, and sustainability, empowering both small businesses and industrial producers in the personalised goods market.
Driving efficiencies and new opportunities in textile printing
Engineered to meet the evolving needs of the wearable print market, the SureColor G6030 printer features a 1.6L ink capacity, minimal maintenance requirements and versatility across applications, including care labels, small T-shirt logos, novelty tote bags and rigid substrates. Live demonstrations will highlight its vivid, full-colour output with consistent film quality, ideal for rapid-turnaround customisation.
Complementing this, the SureColor F9530H dye-sublimation printer enhances productivity and meets commercial garment production standards while lowering operational downtime. With advanced printhead technology, expanded colour options, faster speeds and improved image sharpness, its target applications include jerseys, sportswear and soft signage.
Epson will also showcase:
- Hybrid Direct-to-Garment (DTG) machines: SureColor F3030, SureColor F2230 and SureColor F1030 for T-shirt, tote bag and hybrid cut-sheet printing.
- Dye-sublimation printers including the SureColor F6430H and SureColor F11030 for jerseys, sportswear and novelty goods like mugs and tote bags, as well as long-run textile production.
Visitors can register for guided solution walkthroughs led by Epson’s team to explore integrated workflows and application case studies.
Witness Epson’s solutions in action
The Digital Lab Experience will demonstrate how aspiring entrepreneurs can launch personalised goods businesses with low start-up costs by leveraging Epson’s reliable print technology. As part of this, attendees can see Epson’s storefront customisation package in action, featuring:
- Epson Craft Studio: An all-in-one software suite that streamlines design, production and order management to power your personalised item business
- SureColor F1030 and SureColor F2230 printers for direct-to-garment output
- SureLab D1030 Professional Minilab Printer for high-resolution direct-to-object printing.
“With rising demand for customised textile products, Epson is committed to providing solutions that deliver quality, efficiency and scalability for customers of all sizes, from small business ventures to industrial production,” said [spokesperson]. “Our presence at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 underscores not just our technical innovation, but also our dedication to sustainable printing methods for the future of the industry.”
Event Details and Registration
ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 runs from 28–31 October at Singapore Expo Hall 6. Epson’s booth is located at H6-C402. Guided solution walkthroughs are available by registration here, with limited spots on each exhibition day.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (MS)
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