Basket & Barometer March 2026
from ReThink Productivity Podcast
Send us Fan Mail Diane Wehrle CEO at Rendle Intelligence and Insights joins Simon for their monthly chat They break down why February 2026 turns into a tough month for UK retail, with record rain dragging down footfall and high street sales. They also zoom out to consumer confidence, inflation pressures, and the April policy changes that could reshape hiring and costs. • Record wet weather and why it hits retail demand fast • Footfall declines across high streets, centres and retail parks • High street debit card sales tracking below last year • Category performance across fashion, food and drink, general retail, grocery, health and beauty • GfK Nielsen consumer confidence falling and what it signals for March • Major purchases weakening and the savings index rising • Inflation staying at 3% overall while essentials run hotter • Discounting effects in clothing and muted inflation in big-ticket categories • Average transaction value rising in food and drink and health and beauty • National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rises from 1 April • Key headlines from the first phase of the UK Employment Rights Act #theproductivityexperts Download a copy of the ReThink Productivity Retail Report Connect to Simon on LinkedIn Follow ReThink on LinkedIn
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What this episode covers
Send us Fan Mail Diane Wehrle CEO at Rendle Intelligence and Insights joins Simon for their monthly chat They break down why February 2026 turns into a tough month for UK retail, with record rain dragging down footfall and high street sales. They also zoom out to consumer confidence, inflation pressures, and the April policy changes that could reshape hiring and costs. • Record wet weather and why it hits retail demand fast • Footfall declines across high streets, centres and retail parks • H...
Chapters
- 0:00 Welcome And February Setup
- 0:23 Footfall Falls Across Every Channel
- 2:01 Confidence Signals A Tough March
- 3:19 Inflation Hotspots And Where Prices Ease
- 5:11 Ten Years Of Negative Sentiment
- 7:30 Valentine’s Day Spending Reality Check
- 9:24 April Wage Rise And New Worker Rights
- 11:00 Retail Tech Show And New Benchmarking Report
- 12:01 March Preview And Closing
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