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.

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) has said that a retail recovery plan is needed, including the extension of business rates relief and the introduction of an online sales levy. 

Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said: “The coronavirus pandemic has pushed many retailers and retail workers to breaking point, so government action needs to be equally significant. 

“The government’s short-term sticking plasters go nowhere near far enough and don’t tackle the fundamental issues that the retail industry already faced before the pandemic, let alone give retailers a fighting chance of mounting a recovery. 

“Usdaw launched a retail recovery plan that provides necessary support for the industry and shopworkers, we fear the government simply is not listening.”

The figures revealed that 83,725 jobs lost in the period were due to companies going into administration, including major collapses by Debenhams and Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group.

And about 11,986 jobs were cut during the company voluntary arrangement restructuring processes.

Another 92,974 jobs were axed through rationalisation programmes, which included supermarkets Sainsbury’s and Asda cutting thousands of roles.

The devastating impact of the pandemic resulted in 15,153 store closures in shopping destinations across the UK, the figures also revealed.