skip to main content
  • *
  • *
Find Insight DIY on
* * *

UK DIY News

2021 Retail Job Losses And Store Closures

Closing down

The Centre for Retail Research has published data highlighting the retail job losses and store closures which took place in 2021 - a year which saw coronavirus lockdowns; national and local restrictions; working from home; mandatory wearing of face masks in stores; supply chain issues and much more, all of which compounded existing problems within the sector.

2021 job losses reached 89,324, with store closures of 11,047, according to the data, compared with 182,564 and 16,045 respectively in 2020.  In 2018, job losses reached 117,425, while store closures reached 14,583.

All data tables are from the Centre for Retail Research.

Outcomes for 2021  

Retailing 2021 (full year)

Administration

CVAs

Rationalisation

Totals

specific redundancies & rationalisationNANA9,1189,118
multiples: stores closed1,1721329422,441
multiples: jobs lost`18,4531,15440,84360,450
self-employed/concessions in larger shops3,873193,9827,874
independent store closures3,760 5,0418,801
independent job losses11,882 14,01925,901
Total Job losses34,208 1,17353,94389,324
Total store closures4,9321325,98311,047

* based on our current information.

Outcomes for 2020 (to 31 December). 

Retailing 2020 

Administration

CVAs

Rationalisation

Totals

specific redundancies & rationalisationNANA14,75514,755
multiples: stores closed20415332,9755,549
multiples: jobs lost53,36411,49644,521109,381
self-employed/concessions in larger shops8,7154908,24017,445
independent store closures4,189-6,30710,496
independent job losses12,286-28,69740,983
Total Job losses74,36511,98696,213182,564
Total store closures6,2305339,28216,045

* Correct to 31 December 2020.

Outcomes for 2019 (12 months)

Retailing 2019

Administration

CVAs

Rationalisation

Totals

specific redundancies & rationalisation

NA

NA

9,593

9,593

multiples: stores closed

684

313

4,404

5,901

multiples: jobs lost9,06024,04243,16472,266
self-employed/concessions in larger shops5,8732,4205,99114,284
independent store closures5,720-4,45210,172
independent job losses23,171-19,81642,985
Total Job losses38,10326,46278,563143,128
Total store closures6,4043139,35616,073

Outcomes for 2018 (12 months)

Retailing 2018

Administration

CVAs

Rationalisation

Totals

specific redundancies & rationalisation

NA

NA

19,112

19,112

multiples: stores closed

1,631

272

1,400

3,303

multiples: jobs lost (store closure)

22,671

3,900

11,862

38,433

self-employed/concessions in larger shops

1,300

2,200

1,350

4,850

independent closures

9,820

 

1,460

11,280

independent job losses

48,314

 

6,716

55,030

Total job losses

72,285

6,100

39,040

117,425

Total store closures

11,451

272

2,860

14,583

Read the full analysis from the Centre for Retail Research. 

Source : Insight DIY using Centre for Retail Research data

For all the very latest news and intelligence on the UK's largest home improvement and garden retailers, sign up for the Insight DIY weekly newsletter.   

16 January 2022

Related News

view more UK DIY News
*

Insight DIY always publishes the latest news stories before anyone else and we find it to be an invaluable source of customer and market information.

*
Max Crosby Browne - CEO, Home Decor
Newsletters

Don't miss out on all the latest, breaking news from the DIY industry