Fewer than one fifth (18%) of micro-exporters (fewer than 10 employees) increased export orders in Q2, with 29% reporting a decrease.
By comparison, 29% of large exporters (more than 250 staff) increased their export orders with a fifth (20%) reporting a drop.
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Fewer than one fifth (18%) of micro-exporters (fewer than 10 employees) increased export orders in Q2, with 29% reporting a decrease.
By comparison, 29% of large exporters (more than 250 staff) increased their export orders with a fifth (20%) reporting a drop.
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Reacting to news of a trade deal in principle with the US, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said:
“This deal will be met with a huge sigh of relief by many British businesses.
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Reacting to the UK formally joining the Comprehensive and Progressive agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) today, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said:
“This is a red-letter day for our traders.
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A five-point plan for immediate action by the new government is at heart of the British Chambers of Commerce Election Manifesto published today.
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The future of the economy may sound like an awfully big topic – and one you can’t influence. But in fact these conversations – and some great networking opportunities that go with them - are within your reach!
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• Almost half (49%) of businesses say current customs checks and declarations are a barrier to exporting. This rises to 62% for manufacturers
• Taxes and duties, due to tariffs, are the next biggest stumbling block for two fifths (40%) of firms.
• Regulations, such as product certification, cause problems for a similar proportion of businesses (38%)
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The British Chambers of Commerce has called for Government to focus on boosting services, advanced manufacturing, green and digital trade if it wants to hit its £1tn trade target.
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As a member of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, your voice, input, and influence don’t stop at the county’s borders. As part of the wider British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), we represent your interests to policymakers, politicians, industry peers, and the media, at a national level.
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Reacting to the new UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand trade deals which entered into effect at midnight, BCC Head of Trade, William Bain, said:
“A new era of international trade will begin today as the first trade agreements agreed by the United Kingdom since it left the European Union come into force.
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BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE BUDGET REACTION: Measures unlikely to shift dial on business investment
Giving her full reaction to today’s spring budget, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“The Chancellor has acted to address the unfilled jobs blighting our economy. It is especially good to see the help on childcare and for over 50s workers.
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Reacting to the announcement of the new Prime Minister, Sarah Howard, Chair of the BCC, said: “We would like to congratulate Liz Truss on running a successful campaign to become the UK’s new Prime Minister.
“She must now take immediate steps to support the economy. The last few months have been difficult for everyone, time is running out and urgent action is needed to deal with the costs’ crisis.
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Whatever the size of your business, it is likely that at some stage you will face multiple challenges that can feel impossible to overcome. In fact, you will typically experience these at every stage of the business’s growth.
In this piece, we take a look at what we, as a member of the British Chambers of Commerce, offer to make it easier for business owners in our region to get advice and support when they need it most.
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Director General of the BCC, Shevaun Haviland, is to urge the Government to take action to save the economy as the cost of doing business crisis continues to worsen.
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Commenting on the Office for National Statistics inflation figures for May 2022, Head of Research at the BCC, David Bharier, said:
“The further increase in Consumer Prices Index inflation to 9.1% underscores the severe pressure that businesses and households are under.
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• Proportion of UK exporters reporting increased export sales (29%) was largely unchanged for the 4th quarter running
• Proportion reporting decreased sales historically high at 25%, also little changed since 1 year ago in Q1 2021
• Exporters more likely that non-exporters to expect increases to their prices in coming months
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The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is urging the Chancellor to take bold and decisive action in his Spring Statement to tackle the escalating cost of doing business crisis.
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UK economic growth is expected to halve this year amid soaring inflation, major tax rises, and global shocks - including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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• 71% of exporters say EU trade deal is not enabling them to grow or increase sales
• Only 1 in 8 exporters think it is helping them grow or increase sales
• Majority think it has pushed up costs, increased paperwork and delays, and put the UK at a competitive disadvantage.
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Commenting on the inflation statistics for January 2022, published today by the Office for National Statistics, Head of Economics at the BCC Suren Thiru, said:
“Rising inflation highlights both the cost-of-living crisis facing households and the uphill struggle for businesses to keep a lid on price rises amid surging cost pressures.
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• 73% of firms in a new survey say they are raising prices in response to rising costs
• More than 3 in 5 (62%) cite soaring energy bills as driving factor, rising to 75% for manufacturers
• 63% site increased wage bills as driving prices rises
• British Chambers of Commerce call on the Chancellor to adopt their five-point plan to address these challenges. These include a temporary energy price cap for small businesses and the extension of the financial support announced for households last week to include small firms
The British Chambers of Commerce has warned the Treasury of an impending ‘cost of doing business crisis’. A new survey of more than 1,000 businesses, showed that firms across the country are under intense pressure from a variety of costs. It found that prices were likely to rise as a result, further fuelling the cost-of-living crisis for households.
In response to the new research, BCC Director General, Shevaun Haviland, has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak warning of the dangers facing firms. The British Chambers of Commerce has outlined a five-point plan, which if implemented, will help businesses to weather the current conditions and keep price rises under control. These measures included a temporary energy price cap for small businesses, extending the Chancellor’s energy bills rebate scheme for households to smaller businesses and delaying the planned National Insurance rise by 1 year.
Survey Results
When firms were asked if their business was facing pressure to raise prices from a variety of sources the results were as follows:
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Responding to the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“This is an important first step in putting local economic prosperity at the heart of Government policy.
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On the second anniversary of Brexit, and with huge lorry queues being reported at Dover last week, the BCC is calling for urgent action to improve trade with Europe.