Retailers are sceptical an upcoming Conservative or Labour government will look out for small shops, as some shopkeepers are refusing to step into the voting booth on 4 July.
Exclusive polling data by Newtrade Media of 50 retailers revealed 28% of store owners were undecided on who to vote for, while 14% were not going to place a vote in the General Election.
Of the chosen parties, Conservatives led with 24% of the vote, followed by Labour (18%) and Reform (8%). Green, independent candidates and the Scottish National Party each received 2%.
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One undecided retailer told Better Retailing: “The Tories have had a majority and they could have improved the lives of many retailers, but instead have spent the past five years squabbling with each other. I cannot allow that to continue, but I don’t hold out much hope for Labour, either.”
Humiliation
Another store owner said their decision not to vote was due to having “so little respect for politicians”. They added: “If the ballot paper offered ‘none of the above’ as an option, I believe there would be widespread humiliation for politicians.”
A Conservative voter in the poll stated the party was a “strong supporter of businesses”, with their local candidate voting against the recent Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
One of the retailers choosing Labour did so because of its policies on small-business taxation.
On Reform, a store owner said their decision was due to the Conservatives and Labour “making a mess of running a business”.
To read the full story, and discover what retailers have learnt from MPs and candidates visiting their stores, pick up the 2nd July edition of Retail Express
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