The new chairman of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has pledged support for local voluntary and charitable causes, as local authority spending continues to shrink and households feel the financial pinch.
In a speech at the BRC’s annual parliamentary reception, Rob Templeman observed that conditions remain difficult for businesses and consumers alike. He said that while retailers already provide significant backing for community causes, they will look to offer more funding over the coming years.
“Retailers know that our communities need our help more when times are tough and there is no doubt our sector will continue to invest time and money in helping improve the communities they serve,” he explained. “We understand that in the future we may need to do more and retailers will not shrink from this challenge.”
Mr Templeman’s comments came after a new BRC report revealed retailers have raised more than £25m for charity in recent months, with staff voluntarily giving up thousands of hours of their time completely free of charge.
Earlier this week, the industry group sent a letter to chancellor George Osborne, urging him to do more to restore customer confidence and encourage retail firms to invest.
