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It’s quite clear that minimum wage and other legislation did have an impact on some businesses but it is also equally important to note that online trade has struck a blow to “bricks and mortar” businesses. Just as the vast majority of airline tickets are now bought online wiping out high street shops doing the same, the convenience sector is going through the same change, and so no wonder jobs in the sector is continuing to haemorrhage. Couple this with self-checkouts which is now becoming the norm and not the exception will also kill more jobs.
Cost cutting with technology and operating at the absolute minimum on management structure is the only way some mults can provide shareholder value and so that’s not a surprise. The threat of Amazon and the German discounters will accelerate this even further. I am sure the vast majority of readers of this magazine has done some online shopping and for every transaction you make is one less for the bricks and mortar shops! I just hope that the government plays a constructive role in order to redress the imbalance between online businesses and the high street, everything from rates to the other unproductive useless legislation saddling the convenience sector.

Arjan Mehr Londis Bracknell