The British government's decision to hike the national minimum wage by 9.8% from April 2024 shows they care little for the country's retail industry, the boss of electricals group Currys said on Thursday.

"For the retail industry as a whole, having the big hike in the national living wage at the same time as an expected half a billion pound ($631 million) increase in the (business) rates bill just shows how little the government appears to understand or care about this industry," CEO Alex Baldock told reporters. ($1 = 0.7922 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey, Editing by Kylie MacLellan)