The Inequality of Lockdown

Last night the Prime Minister announced another UK national lockdown. Whilst we understand this decision, we are concerned by its unequal impact on families and businesses.

As highlighted by our Founder and CEO, Tamara Cincik in an article for The Telegraph during the last lockdown, ‘if you can buy clothes in a garden centre or at a supermarket but not in a retail outlet which specialises in fashion, then I think we have to address that the anomalies in this lockdown are unfairly impacting some businesses over others’.

There is also great concern over education - whilst some school children will find working at home easier in wealthier families with access to computers and WiFi, others will find themselves wondering where their next meal is coming from and when.

In order to battle this epidemic, lockdown is necessary. What is also necessary, however, is putting measures in place to ensure that independent businesses and vulnerable people are not the ones to take its impact.

Here at Fashion Roundtable we are lobbying back and forth with the Government to fight for the future of the retail industry in face of not just coronavirus, but also of Brexit.

Now more than ever we need our industry to come together to fight for the support we desperately need.

Here are links to letter templates to send to your MP regarding self-isolation rules for fashion creatives and a campaign to save the VAT Retail Export Scheme.

You can also add your voice to the discussion by submitting evidence to our survey on how to start “Cleaning Up Fashion” by accelerating sustainability and supply chain transparency.