THE States retail policy is based on a flawed consultancy report and should be ‘suspended’ and reviewed, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

The policy framework compiled by States economist Dougie Peedle and Economic Development chief officer Mike King, published in July, is intended to help Ministers make planning and employment decisions. It brings together information from a report by UK consultants Experian but also extensive discussions with retailers, suppliers and consumers. The Experian report, which cost £63,000, was strongly criticised by Chamber of Commerce members and they commissioned a separate report by academic Professor Leigh Sparks, who said the data Experian had used – the 1998-9 Jersey Household Expenditure Survey – was out of date. Now Prof Sparks has produced another commentary following the publication of the 2004-5 household expenditure survey. He says the States framework should be reviewed, in the light of the new evidence contained in the latest Household Expenditure Survey for 2004-5.