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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Sep- 2020 -22 September
Kingfisher sales boosted by DIY boom
Kingfisher has welcomed a “resilient” performance in the first-half of the year, with sales down by 1.1% to £5.9bn. The group said this reflected the adverse impact of Covid-19 in Q1, which was later partially offset by “strong recovery” in the second quarter. Pre-tax profit was up 23.1% to £415m,…
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21 September
Government launches £95m recovery fund for high street
A new £95m government-funded scheme will support 68 “historic” high streets in England to recover from “declining footfall” and the impact of the pandemic. The initiative, High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ), will work with local authorities to convert disused buildings into new shops, workplaces and community spaces. HSHAZ will…
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21 September
Philip Day considering sale of Peacocks and EWM
Retail tycoon Philip Day is reportedly considering the sale of his retail chains Peacocks and Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) and has appointed FRP to seek out interest in the businesses. According to the Sunday Times, Day appointed FRP after receiving an unsolicited enquiry for Peacocks last month. The two chains…
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21 September
Aldo UK sold to BIG
Aldo UK confirmed it has been sold to the Bushnell Investment Group (BIG). Administrators from accountancy firm RSM were appointed to the footwear retailer back in May. During this time, Aldo has managed to trade during the economic downturn resulting from Covid-19 and has opened three new sites. According to…
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21 September
Superdry swings to £42m loss in full-year results
Superdry announced it has swung to a pre-tax loss of £41.8m in the full-year ended 25 April, 2020, with underlying profit before tax down by 210% against the prior year. In addition, total revenue fell by 19.2% to £704.4m in the period, reflecting a “planned move away” from persistent discounting,…
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18 September
Westfield owner announces £8.1bn ‘reset’ plan
Westfield owner Unibail-Rodamco Westfield (URW) has announced an €9bn (£8.1bn) ‘reset’ plan which will see it attempt to raise £3.2bn in capital and make a number of European disposals. Along with capital raising URW said it will be limiting cash dividends through scrip and/or a lower payout ratio, resulting in…
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18 September
Mayor of London urges government to extend business rates holiday
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and London Councils have joined together to urge the Government to extend the business rates holiday and help protect thousands of jobs in London and across the country. Businesses in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors are currently benefiting from 100% relief from…
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18 September
LVMH set to block Tiffany’s court petition
LVMH has announced it plans to block a court petition launched by jewellery company Tiffany & Co, who is attempting to fast-track legal proceedings after LVMH exited a proposed $16bn (£12bn) merger. The Louis Vuitton owner had agreed to the merger last year, but pulled out last week due to…
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18 September
UK retail sales rise for fourth consecutive month
August saw retail sales volumes increase by 0.8% when compared with July, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth. According to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), this resulted in an increase of 4% when compared with February’s pre-pandemic level of sales. The value of retail…
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17 September
John Lewis scraps staff bonus amid £635m pre-tax loss
Department store chain John Lewis Partnership has slashed its staff bonus for the first time since 1953, aftering reporting a £635m pre-tax loss for the half-year period ended July 2020. As result, the Partnership board has confirmed that there will not be a bonus next year given its profit outlook.…
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