News
The latest news, updates and analysis on the the UK retail industry. Covering every segment of the market, Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Oct- 2018 -1 October
Aldi to open 130 new stores creating 5,000 new jobs
Discount supermarket retailer Aldi will be opening 130 new stores between 2019 and 2020, creating 5,000 new jobs over the next two years. To fuel its expanded store network, three new Regional Distribution Centres (RDCs) are already planned for Sheppey, Sawley and Bedford in the coming years, as well as…
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1 October
New West End Company calls for £5bn business rate reduction
The New West End Company, which represents retailers in London’s West End has called for a £5bn reduction in business rates, financed by a 1% tax on online retailers. This week’s Conservative Party conference has seen representatives of the organisation lobbying for the reduction. Businesses across the West End will…
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1 October
Business rates could be changed to help retailers, says Greg Clark
Secretary of state for business Greg Clark has admitted that business rates could be changed in order to help high street retailers. Clark told a fringe event at the Conservative party conference that a change in business rates would be “one way” of recognising the role that high street retailers…
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1 October
Debenhams under more pressure as insurers withdraw cover
Department store Debenhams could be facing more problems as its leading insurance provider Atradius has pulled its cover for the retailer’s suppliers. The news indicates there are fears regarding the department store’s future amid speculation that it could face closures or enter a CVA after appointing KPMG to help advise…
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Sep- 2018 -28 September
Unions file complaint against Ikea over ‘workers’ rights abuses’
An international coalition of labour unions is calling for an investigation into supposed “wide-ranging violations” of workers’ rights at furniture retailer Ikea. The complaint, delivered to the Dutch OECD National Contact Point, details failures by Ikea’s global management to curb “vicious anti-union campaigns” in the United States, Ireland, and Portugal.…
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28 September
Coroner calls Pret a Manger labelling ‘inadequate’ in allergy death
Pret A Manger’s allergy labelling has been deemed “inadequate” by the coroner investigating the death of a 15-year-old girl who died of an allergic reaction to a baguette she purchased from the store. Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, went into cardiac arrest on board a flightn to Nice after buying a sandwich…
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27 September
Snapchat introduces new e-commerce feature
Photo messaging application, Snapchat has announced it is to move into e-commerce, introducing new shoppable adverts and catalogues from its advertising partners. The application’s creators Snap Inc say they have been testing the new shoppable adverts since June with the feature available in October for all of its advertisers. New…
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27 September
Amazon banned from selling food supplements as ‘slimming aids’ without evidence
Amazon has been banned from selling food supplements categorised under ‘Slimming Aids and Weight Loss’ for being misleading to the customer. Upon investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Amazon said that category heading operated as a “signpost”, allowing customers to navigate through the website, however, the retailer added that…
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27 September
One in four UK small retail businesses ‘fearful’ of Brexit, research finds
A quarter of small UK retail businesses admit they are “fearful” of Brexit, data from YouGov analysed by Vend has revealed. The retail software management company accessed a research sample of over 1,000 senior managers in the retail sector, working at organisations with fewer than 20 staff, on YouGov’s ‘profiles…
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27 September
New research shows majority of British people will buy local this Christmas
New research into Christmas online shopping has revealed that British people are increasingly buying from home-grown brands. The research, from CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report, showed that Christmas shopping in recent years has seen cross-border shopping volumes peak around the world, except in Britain. UK cross-border retail sales over the…
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