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 -9 September
Quiz sales plummet, store closures anticipated
Fashion retailer Quiz has revealed its sales have been “significantly impacted” by the pandemic, with total sales falling by 77% to £12.8m between 1 April and 31 August. Its website sales totalled £4.9m in the period, marking a 45% decline against the £8.9m reported the year before. Sales through third…
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9 September
Iceland creates 3,000 jobs to meet online demand
Iceland has created 3,000 new jobs to cope with the extra demand for online shopping deliveries since the beginning of lockdown, according to the company. The supermarket chain has increased the number of delivery drivers and in-store staff for picking online orders in recent months. Online delivery orders have soared…
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8 September
Up to £3.5bn furlough claims fraudulent, says HMRC
Up to £3.5bn in payments from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme may have been claimed fraudulently or paid in error, according to the HMRC. Jim Harra, HMRC’s permanent secretary, appeared before MPs on the Public Accounts Committee to discuss the tax authority’s estimates that 5-10% of furlough claims have been…
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8 September
JD Sports revenues slide in half-year results
JD Sports has reported a 6.5% decrease in total revenue to £2.5bn during the half-year period ended 1 August 2020. The decrease in revenue was split between sports fashion sales, which reduced by 4.6% to £2.4bn, and its outdoor range, which saw sales sink by 30.2% to £142.5m. Additionally, total…
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8 September
UK retail sales increase by 4.7% in August
UK retail sales in August have increased by 4.7% on a like-for-like basis from August 2019, according to figures released in BRC-KPMG’s Retail Sales Monitor report for the month. Overall sales increased by 3.9% in the period, in comparison to a decline of 0.4% in August 2019. This is above…
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8 September
Charles Wilson to step down from Tesco’s Booker in 2021
Tesco had announced that after 15 years leading the Booker business its CEO Charles Wilson is to retire in February 2021. Tesco said Wilson leaves an “incredible legacy” of building the UK’s leading wholesale business, championing customer satisfaction and driving growth. Wilson joined Tesco when the ‘Big Four’ grocer acquired…
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8 September
Cycling surge boosts sales at Halfords
Halfords has delivered a “strong” trading performance in the first half of its FY21, with like-for-like sales up by 5% in the 20 weeks ended 21 August 2020. According to the group, this was largely driven by a larger cycling market, boosted by the “positive impact” from the current staycation…
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7 September
60% of mid-sized businesses plan redundancies, BDO finds
More than half (60%) of the UK’s medium-sized businesses are planning redundancies as a result of the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme coming to an end in October, according to new research from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO. BDO’s monthly Rethinking the Economy survey of 500 medium-sized businesses across…
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7 September
Frasers Group slams Debenhams gagging order
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has accused senior Debenhams’ advisors of stopping the department store being financially saved due to a gagging order that prevents it from talking to landlords. In an interview with The Times, the group’s chief financial officer Chris Wotton revealed the group was not formally in sale…
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7 September
GDP to contract £15.3bn each year if home working persists
Lower consumer spending and a decrease in economic clustering if pandemic levels of home working persist would reduce UK GDP by £15.3bn every year, according to new research published by PwC. The ‘Big Four’ accountancy firm said the hit to consumption is a result of office workers spending fewer days…
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