The chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that as many as 160,000 part-time retail roles - more than one-in-10 - are currently at risk from being lost in the next three years.

According to new figures released by the trade association, the UK retail industry has already lost nearly 10 times the number of jobs of the entire steelmaking sector over the past decade.

A report by the organisation reveals that the steel manufacturing industry has around 37,500 jobs, while the retail industry has lost 351,000 jobs over the past 10 years.

It has claimed that while the government stepped in to prevent factory closures and save jobs in steelmaking, policymakers have done “nothing” in the retail industry, despite so many jobs being lost.

The organisation’s figures demonstrate that since 2015, the steel industry has gained 6,500 jobs.

"Yet, while factory closures are met by promises of action by government, the wave of retail jobs losses has been met with indifference from policymakers," said Helen Dickinson, chief executive, BRC. "UK retail is world-leading, innovative, and a major contributor to the UK economy, yet the stranglehold of increasing costs, taxes and red tape risks undermining the very things Government is seeking to create: local investment, growth, and increasing the numbers of people in work."

But she added that if the government can ensure future policies do not hold back recruitment and training, there will be more jobs and better productivity.

The BRC says that the new Growth and Skills Levy, which replaces the "broken Apprenticeship Levy", could help retail businesses unlock more investment in local communities and people given an estimated 40-50 per cent of the workforce are in need of upskilling.

"The Employment Rights Bill is the next big test: government must tackle unscrupulous employers without hampering employment opportunities offered by responsible businesses," continued Dickinson.

The Employment Rights Bill aims to improve employment practices, but there are many aspects of the Bill which could increase costs and reduce employment without improving the life of workers, explained the trade association.

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