Coronavirus
Coronavirus covers the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK retail industry. This section explores how retailers have adapted to shifts in consumer behaviour, operational disruption, and regulatory change. Retail Sector’s Coronavirus coverage includes news, analysis, and commentary on supply chain challenges, workforce management, financial recovery, and digital transformation, providing retail professionals with insight into how the sector continues to rebuild and evolve in the wake of the pandemic.
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Nov- 2020 -23 November
PM outlines Covid Winter Plan
Boris Johnson has unveiled his ‘Covid Winter Plan’ in the House of Commons this afternoon, whilst outlining England’s return to a three tier system. He confirmed that national restrictions in England will end on 2 December and will “not be renewed”. This will mean that non-essential retail, gyms and the…
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23 November
Government to confirm reopening of non-essential retail
The government is today (23 November) set to confirm that all non-essential retail in England will be permitted to reopen next week, following a four-week lockdown over November. According to Sky News, Boris Johnson is set to make an announcement later this afternoon, where he is expected to lay out…
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18 November
Asda gears up for ‘record Christmas’ as Q3 sales rise 2.7%
Asda has revealed it is gearing up for a “record Christmas” after it revealed its like-for-like sales increased by 2.7% YOY. The trading quarter for the three months ending 30 September, which coincided with the end of the first UK-wide lockdown and the re-opening of the hospitality sector, saw growth…
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17 November
Lockdown footfall ‘more resilient’ than in March
Footfall across UK retail destinations showed signs of resilience when compared with the first national lockdown last week, with footfall 57.7% lower than the same week in 2019, according to the latest figures from Springboard. Springboard said this is “demonstrably more resilient” than it was in the first complete week…
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9 November
Pfizer reveals Covid-19 vaccine candidate is 90% effective
A successful Covid-19 vaccine is a step closer after Pfizer/Biontech revealed its vaccine candidate is 90% effective, according to its first interim analysis. The findings, which are well above the 50% effectiveness for a vaccine to be approved, comes following a clinical trial which involved over 43,000 people. Some 42%…
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6 November
October retail recovery reverses with new lockdown
Despite UK retailers seeing an economic recovery in October, a second national lockdown in England risks reversing the sector’s financial progress. According to BDO, with non-essential retail back on lockdown from yesterday (5 November) until the beginning of December, the “most critical season of the year is now under threat…
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5 November
Chancellor extends furlough scheme to March
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that the furlough scheme will be extended until the end of March, amid increased measures for business support as the UK enters a four-week lockdown. Payments are set to remain at 80% of employee’s wages. It comes as the chancellor said that it was “right…
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5 November
Bank of England unveils £150bn covid support package
The Bank of England (BoE) has unveiled it will give the UK economy a further £150bn in crisis support and keep interest rates at a record low, due to the rapid rise in Covid-19 restrictions across the country. At the Banks latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), members stated that the…
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Oct- 2020 -23 October
Liverpool leaders call on public to support local retailers
Liverpool’s business leaders have called on everyone across the region to “unite and support local”, in a bid to help businesses survive the latest set of Tier 3 restrictions. Led by Liverpool ONE, Liverpool BID, Visit Liverpool and Marketing Liverpool, the ‘Help Campaign’ is urging businesses and local people to…
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22 October
Sunak extends Covid scheme to pay up to half of wages
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced increases to the Job Support Scheme, which will now see the government pay up to half of employees wages. As part of the updated scheme, employers will pay less and employees will work fewer hours to qualify, with the taxpayer subsidy now doubled. The increase…
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