Wales retailers warn against surtax for bigger stores
Retailers currently contribute more than a fifth of all business rates in Wales, which are the highest in Great Britain.
The WRC welcomes a permanent reduction in rates for smaller shops but argues that no retailer should face higher costs under the new system.
It warns that increasing rates for medium-sized and larger shops could harm high streets, reduce investment, and encourage businesses to look outside Wales.
Sara Jones, head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: "Retailers have long borne the brunt of Wales' outdated business rates system, so we welcome the Welsh Government's promise to finally confront this issue.
"But let's be clear: shifting the burden from one group of shops to another isn't reform—it's a reshuffle.
"These stores are the heartbeat of our high streets—drawing shopper footfall, creating jobs, and anchoring communities.
"Penalising them with a surtax would be a serious misstep.
"We need a system that rewards investment, not punishes scale."
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