The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has urged the government to ensure proposed guaranteed hours reforms do not reduce the availability of flexible jobs across the retail sector.

The warning follows new research by YouGov commissioned by the BRC which found that two-thirds of part-time workers chose their role because it offered flexibility around commitments such as childcare, education, caring responsibilities and other personal circumstances.

According to the research, 67 per cent of part-time workers said flexibility influenced their decision to take a job. Among part-time employees with children under the age of 18, the figure rose to 80 per cent.

The findings come as the government launches a consultation on Guaranteed Hours proposals under the Employment Rights Act. The consultation will examine issues including how low-hours contracts should be defined, how working hours should be measured and how businesses can manage changes to shifts.

The BRC said the outcome of the consultation will have significant implications for retailers, many of which rely on flexible staffing arrangements to respond to fluctuations in customer demand.

Retail remains one of the UK's largest providers of part-time employment. The BRC said the sector supports almost three million jobs and more than half of retail workers are employed on a part-time basis.

The trade body noted that retailers often increase staffing levels during peak trading periods such as Christmas and major sales events, before reducing hours when demand returns to normal levels.

It argued that the reforms could discourage businesses from offering additional shifts, reducing opportunities for workers who value flexibility and want to earn extra income during busy periods.

The BRC also highlighted concerns around youth employment. The consultation follows the publication of the Milburn Review, which found that more than one million people aged between 16 and 24 are currently not in education, employment or training.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said that it is vital that the government does not regulate flexible jobs out of existence.

"For many workers, that flexibility isn't a 'nice to have', it's what makes employment possible and allows them to take on extra hours when it suits them,” she added. “Retailers need to offer those additional hours when demand is there, but they cannot guarantee them all year round.

"If reforms mean temporary peaks become permanent commitments for responsible businesses, they will offer fewer hours in the first place, reducing both opportunity and the flexibility that workers value and rely on."

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