News
News is Retail Sector’s central hub for breaking stories, market developments and company updates from across the UK retail industry. This category delivers authoritative, timely coverage on everything from trading performance and executive changes to store openings, brand activity and supply chain developments.
Retail Sector’s news coverage focuses on the business realities behind the headlines — providing retail professionals with context on how each development impacts operations, strategy and market confidence. Readers can expect clear, accurate reporting designed to keep decision-makers informed and competitive in a fast-moving retail landscape.
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Feb- 2021 -5 February
Amazon launches 1,000 apprenticeships across UK
Amazon has announced it is set to create 1,000 apprenticeship roles in the UK this year, as it continues to invest in its UK operations. The full-time roles will be offered across 25 different schemes in order to match a diverse range of skillsets and ambitions, including automation engineering, broadcast…
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5 February
Bank of England holds rates, predicts strong vaccine rebound
The Bank of England (BoE) has predicted an economic rebound in the spring led by a successful vaccine rollout, after revealing it will be holding interest rates at 0.1%. The news comes as the BoE predicts that GDP is expected to fall by around 4% in the first quarter of…
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5 February
French Connection enters takeover talks
Fashion retailer French Connection has revealed it is in takeover talks with two possible suitors. In a letter from the board published on Friday 5 February, FC stated that it had been approached by Spotlight Brands and Gordon Brothers International LLC as well as Go Global Retail and HMJ International…
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5 February
Ralph Lauren sees Q3 revenues drop 18%
Ralph Lauren has announced that in its third quarter ended 26 December 2020, revenues decreased by 18% to $1.4bn (£1.02bn) attributed to the impact of Covid-19 and government restrictions on trade. Europe revenue in the third quarter decreased 28% to $316m (£230m) on a reported basis and decreased 32% in…
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5 February
Dune mulls CVA, drafts advisors for strategic review
Dune is reportedly in talks with landlords about potential rent cuts, which could lead to a CVA depending on negotiations, according to Sky News. The footwear retailer, which was founded in 1992 by Daniel Rubin and employs around 1,200 people across its 42 stores, has recruited advisors from KPMG to…
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4 February
Retail landlords charged nearly £1bn in rates on empty shops
Retail landlords have handed over almost £1bn to English Councils in business rates since the onset of the pandemic despite the current holiday, research from the Altus Group has found. The government, which has invested more than £280bn in business support during the last year, gave premises in those sectors…
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4 February
Jigsaw sales down £31m amid pandemic
Jigsaw, a fashion clothing retailer, has reported a fall in sales of £31m for 2020 as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In reports filed by parent company, Robinson Webster, to Companies House, the group revealed that 60% of its revenue had been generated through online channels. While Jigsaw…
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4 February
Sainsbury’s commits to reducing greenhouse emissions
Sainsbury’s has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of science-based targets, with the store now hoping to achieve net zero by 2040. The supermarket chain has said it will now work with a number of suppliers on developing and meeting its own Scope 1 and 2 targets, …
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4 February
‘Robust’ online sales offset store closures at Watches of Switzerland
Watches of Switzerland has welcomed a period of strong trading in its third quarter ended 24 January 2021, with group revenue up by 6.6% to £272.6m despite the ongoing pandemic. This was bolstered by a “robust” e-commerce performance in the UK, which offset continued store closures throughout the period. UK…
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4 February
Retail footfall drops 65.6% in first full month of third lockdown
Retail footfall has declined 65.6% in January compared with a 41.9% drop in December, as the first full month of the third national lockdown comes to an end. According to Springboard, footfall declined by 72.6% in high streets a further 73.6% in shopping centres and 42.1% in retail parks. However,…
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