RETAIL unions have said that significant government action is needed to stem the sector’s bloodbath after figures showed almost 190,000 jobs have been lost since shops were first forced to shut their doors a year ago. 

A study by the Centre for Retail Research has revealed that 188,685 retail jobs vanished between the start of the first lockdown on March 23 2020 and March 31 this year.

The figures come less than two weeks before non-essential shops reopen their doors to customers in England after the lengthy third lockdown.