SGF study highlights True Cost of Employment for convenience retailers

Research, published this week by the University of Stirling and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation, has shed light on the impact of rising staff costs on the convenience retail sector in Scotland.  

On 1st April, the UK National Living Wage will rise to £10.42, a 9.7% increase on 2022/23. However, a collaboration between SGF and University of Stirling has revealed that the true cost for retail employers will be as much as £14 per hour. A jump of £1.25 on the previous year and the highest increase of at least the past eight years.

SGF met with representatives of the Low Pay Commission earlier this month (March) to highlight these concerns, ahead of their annual consultation exercise. Download the full SGF report: here

You can find the full LPC consultation document: here. Closes 9th June 2023

The SGF study takes into account statutory costs, such as National Insurance and Holiday Pay, as well as additional expenses such as uniforms and administration costs. Meanwhile, a recent survey of SGF members shows that more than 70% of respondents were less likely to hire more staff, due to the wage increases, with many working over 65 hours per week, just keep costs down.

Read the full press release: here