67% of part-time workers took their jobs for flexibility, rising to 80% among parents with children under 18, according to YouGov polling commissioned by the British Retail Consortium.
The BRC says the government's Guaranteed Hours consultation could curb that flexibility if retailers are forced to turn temporary peak-time hours into permanent contractual commitments.
Nearly 3 million people work in retail, the UK's largest private-sector employer, and 57.8% of retail roles are part-time—well above the economy-wide average.
The consultation under the Employment Rights Act will decide how low-hours contracts are defined, how hours are measured over time and how shifts can be changed.
The warning lands as the Milburn Review highlighted youth-employment strains, with more than 1 million 16-24-year-olds not in education, employment or training.
With new laws guaranteeing hours, will the flexibility UK workers cherish actually disappear from the retail sector?
As retailers face rising costs and new rules, are entry-level jobs for young people now at greater risk?
Guaranteed Hours in the UK: How the 2025 Employment Rights Act Is Reshaping Retail and Worker Protections
Overview
The UK's Employment Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, marks a major shift in the employment landscape by introducing guaranteed hours for workers. This reform is part of the government's broader 'Plan to Make Work Pay' and follows the repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023. While the CIPD is already helping members adapt, key details—such as what counts as a 'low-hours contract' and how regular working patterns will be measured—are still undecided. These pending decisions are crucial, as they will shape how businesses and workers experience the new guaranteed hours framework.