Comment
Comment features expert perspectives and thought leadership from across the UK retail industry. This section includes opinion pieces, analysis, and commentary from senior retail executives, analysts, and sector specialists on the commercial, strategic, and operational forces shaping retail. Retail Sector’s Comment coverage explores issues such as consumer behaviour shifts, technology adoption, sustainability, regulation, and leadership — providing retail professionals with authoritative insight to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
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Feb- 2021 -2 February
Pursuing privacy-first marketing strategies
Following the announcement of a third national lockdown last week, it’s clear that consumers’ shopping habits won’t be returning to ‘normal’ anytime soon. Restrictions imposed by the government have closed all stores deemed to be non-essential and as a result, consumers have flocked online to shop instead. With retailers unable…
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1 February
Adapting and diversifying as a result of Covid-19
It’s no secret that 2020 was a tough year for many businesses. The closure of non-essential stores meant that the majority of retailers have had to find new ways to continue operation. Whilst the situation has and continues to be difficult for many businesses, we’ve also seen many become more…
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Jan- 2021 -28 January
Supermarkets, the unsung heroes
Of all the many seismic changes that 2020 has precipitated, one that may have gone under the radar of most people is the impact of the pandemic on perceptions of the UK supermarket sector. Long lambasted for alleged price fixing tactics, squeezing suppliers and environmental concerns, the sector appeared locked…
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26 January
The new front door to welcoming customers
The pandemic has hit retailers hard, with well-known brands already falling victim to the severe impact of lockdown. Coronavirus restrictions have forced retailers of all shapes and sizes to shift priority to digital channels, ensure customer services can operate remotely, and make necessary adjustments to protect shoppers in-store. The ability…
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25 January
Turn the tide in your favour
When customers went to buy groceries online after the latest national lockdown was announced on 4 January, they were met with a sense of deja vu. Surges in traffic to popular grocers like Sainsbury’s and Tesco meant that many customers couldn’t access websites and apps to place food orders and…
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22 January
Don’t relapse into a brick-and-mortar mentality
Despite vaccines being rolled out and there being some semblance of light at the end of the tunnel, the situation for brick-and-mortar stores this year remains bleak. In-store retail continues to struggle and according to a recent report from The Centre for Retail Research, up to 200,000 in-store jobs could…
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22 January
The rise of friendly fraud: What’s so friendly about it, anway?
Can there be such a thing as ‘friendly’ fraud? What exactly is it, why is it happening and what can be done to safeguard against it? I’m sure you’re aware that over the course of the past 10 months there have been some significant changes in the way we act.…
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21 January
Retailers could be heading for a New Year insurance disaster
Among the huge number of changes brought about by COVID-19, one of the biggest shifts in 2021 will be the emphasis placed on mitigating physical risk for businesses. Whether it’s ensuring strict new hygiene regimes or policing slip and trip hazards within stores, organisations across the retail space in particular…
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20 January
Building an online business by selling into overseas territories
Worldwide, eCommerce sales are growing year on year, and consumers switching to online shopping during Covid-19 has accelerated this growth. If you want to expand your reach, boost your sales and stay ahead of the competition, now’s the time to think about expanding into international markets. After all, the UK…
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20 January
Retailers and the pressing question of their real estate portfolios
It is not an understatement to say that Covid-19 has vastly altered markets and the way businesses work within them, especially those in the retail sector. Arguably one of the greatest changes induced by Covid-19 is the rapid take-up of e-commerce in place of physical retail. “Online sales have accelerated…
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