Retailing: Its Importance to the Welsh Rural

Economy

Jane Bevis

Director of Public Affairs

BRC members

BRC members

BRC members

Retail in Wales

• The retail sector generates 10% of the Gross Domestic Product of Wales compared with 7% for the UK as a whole.

• Retail employment accounts for around 10% of total Welsh employment.

• There are 8,965 retail businesses in Wales operating from 13,670 premises.

• Approximately 12 per cent of business establishments in Wales are retail, accounting for 5% of the UK total

• Cardiff is the sixth most important retail destination in the United Kingdom

Serving Welsh Retail Markets

Cardiff as a Retail Flagship

Anatomy of a Welsh Consumer

• Unemployment in Wales 8.4% v 7.9% UK average

• 21.1% Welsh children in workless households cf 16.2% in NI, 15.9% in England, 15.3% in Scotland

• Median gross weekly earnings £456 v £487 in Scotland and £442 in NI

• Labour productivity 15.9% below UK average

• GVA growth Cardiff 91%, London 118%,

Belfast 99%, Birmingham 74%

Spending power

Vision for County and Market Towns

• A Unique Sense of Place

• Attractive Public Realm

• Planning for Success

• Safety and Security

• Accessibility

• Supportive Regulatory

and Fiscal Regimes

Rural Services in Wales: Retail

Rural Service in Wales: Non-retail

Impact of Community Size

Promoting diversification and rural quality of life

• Strong community co-operation and cohesion, established partnerships

• Established tourism destination and

developing green tourism

• Service sector opportunities, including

developing local markets for local

produce

Promoting diversification and rural quality of life

• Diversification into non-agricultural activities• Support for micro-enterprises• Encouragement of tourism• Basic services for economy and local people, including

transport and broadband• Upgrading rural heritage• Skills and training

Retail and rural development• Food and Drink Supply Chain is vital to Welsh economy – 230,750 employees, with a combined turnover £6.5bn

– 44% of retail employees involved• Food, Retail, Leisure and Tourism all Tier 2 sectors in WG Economic Renewal plan

– Only manufacturing given high priority focus• Retail links to both Food and Tourism

– Visitor spend on accommodation doubled when retail spend considered

Retail Supply Chain Partnerships

Dedicated Local Sourcing Team• Dedicated local sourcing team identifying

local products, working with small suppliers. • Enlists support of regional food groups, Asda

local hub network, customers and colleagues to discover essential local brands.

• Very small local suppliers need cheap, easy and risk-free as possible business so:

– Promise to support local products to ensure they are a success

– Local vendors don’t need electronic information systems, just internet

– Reduced payment terms, easing cash flow

Retail Supply Chain Partnerships

Working with Small Producers• M&S worked with Welsh small supplier,

Ultrapharm, to develop a range of ‘Made Without Gluten’ products.

• Ultrapharm has now built a high-specification bakery unit, with new equipment and a first class working environment.

Marc Lewis, CEO of Ultrapharm M&S has helped us enormously to achieve the high standards it requires from its suppliers. With their guidance we’ve made a huge leap forward not only in terms of capacity, but also with regards to the range of products we can make.

Thank You