The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has launched a new, universal on-pack recycling label which will provide customers with standardised information on whether packaging can be recycled. The single, industry-supported, label replaces the potentially confusing range of symbols previously used. The new label will have three categories depending on how local authorities will accept packaging for recycling: widely recycled, check local recycling and not currently recycled.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills urges employers in a new campaign to invest in training to survive the recession. The Commission has also introduced a new ‘Now is the Time’ category of the 2009 National Training Awards which encourages employers, who have invested in skills during the recession, to share their experiences and get public recognition for their commitment to training.
Cash remains the most popular means of payment and is the most cost effective for retailers. The recent BRC report shows cash is used for 56% of all transactions, and 33% of all retail spending is done with cash. It also highlights the huge costs banks impose on retailers for processing card transactions. An average cash transaction costs retailers 2 pence; a debit card payment costs 8 pence, but they are charged 35 pence when a customer uses a credit card.
