Costs crisis sends retail jobs down almost half in a year

THE number of advertised jobs in retail has almost halved in the last year as firms continue to crack down on costs.

- By Amber Murray

A 42.25% fall in vacancies in the past 12 months is the most significant drop in any UK sector, according to Adzuna's latest jobs report.

It comes with retail having been contracting for some time with the sector losing 225,000 jobs between 2019 and 2025, the Office for National Statistics reported.

And the Retail Jobs Alliance warned last month that a further 300,000 jobs could go in the next three years due to rising costs and regulation.

Companies are increasingly turning to automation as a replacement for employment.