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 -15 September
UK supermarket sales begin to stabilise
After a period of “accelerated growth”, UK supermarket sales have begun to stabilise, but Brits now shop for groceries online more frequently, according to the latest data from Nielsen. FMCG sales growth at supermarkets has continued to plateau to +5.3% over the last four weeks ending 5 September. However, the…
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15 September
Unemployment rate rises to 4.1% in July
The rate of unemployment in the UK increased 0.2% to 4.1% in the two months to July 2020, according to the ONS. The UK economic inactivity rate was also estimated at a joint record low of 20.2%, 0.6 percentage points lower than the previous year and 0.3 percentage points lower…
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15 September
Ocado sales surge as it praises M&S switch
Online grocer Ocado has revealed it has reported a 52% surge in sales during the third quarter of the year, as it hailed the “successful switchover” to its M&S product range. For the 13 week period ending 30 August 2020, Ocado Retail recorded revenues of £587.3m as it said sales…
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15 September
Next takes majority stake in Victoria’s Secret
Victoria’s Secret owner L Brands has announced it has formed a joint venture with Next which will see the retailer acquire the majority of Victoria’s Secrets’ assets. The new joint venture will operate all Victoria’s Secret stores in the UK and Ireland, subject to agreeing terms with landlords. Next will…
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15 September
New Look landlords to reject CVA
New Look’s biggest landlords have reportedly rejected the retailer’s CVA plan in a move that will “throw its survival into doubt”. British Land and Landesc are now set to vote against its latest rescue plan in a vote that will be held later today (15 September), according to Sky News. …
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14 September
700,000 jobs at risk as end of furlough scheme draws near
Over 700,000 employees are at risk of being made redundant in the second half of 2020, research from Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has revealed. IES estimates that some 650 thousand redundancies are expected in the second half of 2020, with 445 thousand redundancies in the three months between July…
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14 September
Aldi to trial click and collect
Major supermarket chain Aldi has announced it will begin its first UK trial for a click-and-collect service from today (14 September). The supermarket is currently running a trial of the service for Aldi colleagues from a store in the Midlands and plans to extend that to customers in the coming…
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14 September
Insolvent companies cost taxpayers £250m
Insolvent companies that were unable to pay their debts in the first six months of 2020 have cost British taxpayers almost £250m, according to Altus Group. The software group found that the amount paid to former members of staff was up by £133.79m in the period against the prior year,…
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14 September
Matalan CEO steps down
Matalan CEO Jason Hargreaves has stepped down from leading his family’s company after seven years at the helm. Hargreaves is the son of Matalan owner John Hargreaves, who founded the fashion and homewares retailer in 1985, and will continue at the company as a strategic adviser for the board. Steve…
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14 September
Arcadia Group ‘extremely sorry’ amid notice pay U-turn
Arcadia Group has agreed to pay the full salaries of head office staff facing redundancy, after backtracking on its initial plan to pay staff their furloughed salaries. Arcadia, whose high street brands include Topman, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins, initially planned to pay head office staff 50% of their notice pay,…
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