Retail Knowledge qualifications and training courses

Last Updated: 06 Jun 2023

Important Update: All awarding organisations are required by external regulators and funding agencies to regularly review performance and take-up of their products and services. Following a review City & Guilds has come to the difficult decision to no longer offer qualifications in Retail and Warehousing.

When we carry out reviews, there are a wide range of factors that are considered, including the number of learners taking the qualifications, assessment needs, funding, and government plans. Some qualifications are being retired, which means the published last learner registration date will not be extended. Some qualifications are being withdrawn, which means we will be bringing forward the last registration date for learners. We will of course continue to fully support our customers and learners throughout the life of the qualifications and certification activities.

Please review the revised end registration dates on our website and catalogue.

Providing the background knowledge needed to succeed in retail, these qualifications cover the essential concepts to help get a first retail job or advance a current role. Topics include customer service, selling, teamwork as well as health, safety and security issues.

These qualifications are for anyone who works in or would like to work in retail. You don't need any previous experience or prior qualifications.

Available to deliver in the following:

England
Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
Scotland
Northern Ireland
International

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

Retail Knowledge enables you to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in the retail sector. The qualification covers customer service, selling and team work.

For this qualification, you may learn on the job or in a group setting with your training provider. You'll be assessed using online, multiple-choice tests.

Which level is right for me?

Level 1
You work or would like to work in the retail sector and would like to gain an insight and basic knowledge and understanding of the industry.

Level 2
You work or would like to work in retail. You want to increase your skills, perhaps to prepare for another qualification or a role where you have more responsibility.

Level 3
You work in a supervisory retail role or would like to develop your skills further, perhaps as part of your professional development in preparation for a management role.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

Achieving this qualification can help you work in a wide variety of retail roles including:

Antique dealer
Builder's merchant/Assistant
Confectioner
Greengrocer
Newsagent
Personal shopper
Pet shop assistant
Retail assistant
Retail buyer
Retail manager
Retail merchandiser.

If you'd like to advance further in your retail career by developing your skills, you may want to progress on to the Level 2 or 3 Award, Certificate or Diploma in Retail Skills.

What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

To deliver these qualifications you will need suitably qualified staff to carry out training and assessment.

You will also need suitable facilities to carry out the required training to enable learners to achieve industry standards.

You can choose to deliver this qualification in a group setting in the training centre or on the job. You'll assess learners using online, multiple-choice tests.

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Anyone can take this qualification, but you must make sure all your learners can access the resources they need to complete it.

Level 1

Level 1 will suit you if you work, or would like to work, in the retail sector and want to gain basic knowledge and understanding of the industry.

There are two qualifications available at Level 1:

Award in Retail Knowledge
Certificate in Retail Knowledge.

You need to achieve a minimum of seven credits from a range of units for the award, and a minimum of 13 credits to achieve the longer certificate. Each unit is worth one or two credits.

Units include:

Understanding the business of retail
Understanding customer service in the retail sector
Understanding the retail selling process
Understanding retail consumer law.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 1 Certificate in Retail Knowledge (1013-12)

Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 1 Certificate in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/8210/3 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 13 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 87 - 90 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 130 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/12/2024 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £53.30 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 1 in Retail Knowledge (Unit route) (1013-91)

Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 1 Certificate in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/8210/3 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 13 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 87 - 90 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 130 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/12/2024 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £74.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 1 Award in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/8405/7 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 7 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 40 - 55 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 70 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/12/2024 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £42.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 2

Level 2 will suit you if you work, or would like to work, in retail and you want to increase your skills, perhaps to prepare for another qualification or a role where you have more responsibility.

You can choose either a shorter award or a longer, more comprehensive certificate at Level 2.

You need to achieve a minimum of nine credits for the award. For the certificate, you need to achieve four core units, then choose enough optional units to give you at least five credits. Each unit is worth between two and four credits.

The range of units includes:

Understanding customer service in the retail sector
Understanding the retail selling process
Understanding how individuals and teams contribute to the effectiveness of a retail business
Understanding how a retail business maintains health and safety on its premises.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 2 Certificate in Retail Knowledge (1013-22)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 2 Certificate in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/7352/7 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 14 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 93 - 113 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 140 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2027 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £61.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 2 in Retail Knowledge (Unit route) (1013-92)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024

Level 2 Certificate in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/7352/7 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 14 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 93 - 113 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: Data unavailable The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £91.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 2 Award in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/7438/6 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 9 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 56 - 76 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 90 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/12/2025 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £47.80 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 3

Level 3 is ideal if you work in a supervisory retail role or would like to develop your skills further, perhaps as part of your professional development in preparation for a management role.

You can choose either a shorter award or a longer, more comprehensive certificate at Level 3.

For the award, you choose enough units from a range to give you at least five credits. Each unit is worth between two and four credits. For the certificate, you complete four core units, in addition to two units from a range of optional units.

Units include:

Understanding customer service in the retail sector
Understanding the management of risks to health and safety on the premises of a retail business
Understanding the retail selling process
Understanding the development of personal and team effectiveness in a retail business.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 3 Certificate in Retail Knowledge (1013-32)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 3 Certificate in Retail Knowledge

Accreditation No: 500/7350/3 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 16 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 106 - 124 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 160 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £67.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Additional information for centres

SMARTSCREEN IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

SmartScreen is our online portal for tutor, assessors and learners that provides unit-specific support materials and tutor forums to complement the delivery and learning experience

Visit Smartscreen.co.uk >

LEARNING ASSISTANT IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

Learning Assistant is an innovative and cost effective e-portfolio solution that allows colleges and training providers to dramatically improve the delivery of their vocational qualifications.

Learn more about Learning Assistant >

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

Retail Knowledge (1013)