Attack on Tesco shows lack of respect for retail

Like the banks, retailers seem increasingly to have become lightning rods drawing anger about all sorts of social and political complaints.

Over the last year or so stores including Fortnum & Mason and Boots have been targeted by organisations such as UK Uncut. In the last week events took a further downward turn as one big retailer, Tesco, came under fire for being a good corporate citizen.

The giant grocer was accused of exploiting the unemployed through its participation in a Government-backed work experience programme, sparking outrage on social networks and leading to the closure of a London store as a mob of protesters descended. The row prompted other retailers, such as Matalan, rapidly to distance themselves from the scheme.

The attacks on Tesco were both laughable and contemptible. Let’s get a few things in perspective: youth unemployment stands at almost 21% and everything that can be done to help young people into work should be done.

Tesco in no way relies on unpaid labour to conduct its business. On the contrary, it is the UK’s biggest private sector employer with 300,000 staff in this country.

Additionally, it is one of the few big retailers to have a union agreement in place and employees share in its success through a share scheme – last year they divvied up £110m between them.

Tesco typifies UK retail, which employs 3 million and continues to generate jobs – only last month Morrisons unveiled plans to create 5,000 this year.

What the assault on Tesco shows is that the contribution retailers make to society and the national economy remains under-recognised and undervalued.

The industry needs to speak up more loudly to show that a career in retail is something to respect.

Conference calling

Tesco UK chief executive Richard Brasher is one of the headline speakers at this year’s The Cloud Retail Week Conference, where he will talk about the value retail creates for the country. He’s one of a fantastic line-up of participants including Kingfisher chief executive Ian Cheshire and M&S boss Marc Bolland. Click here to read more about the event. It promises to be a great couple of days and will give you a 360-degree view of the industry essential in today’s climate.