Christmas
This coverage explores the critical Christmas trading period in the UK retail sector, focusing on sales performance, promotional strategies, consumer trends, supply chain planning, and operational challenges. Reporting highlights how retailers prepare for and execute peak season campaigns to maximise revenue and manage demand. Designed for executives and managers, it provides insights into effective planning and competitive positioning during the festive season.
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Dec- 2020 -2 DecemberDepartment Stores
John Lewis halts international business plans
John Lewis has announced that it is shutting its international business operations only weeks before Christmas, according to The Times. The department store chain is believed to have decided that its international business is too expensive and will stop taking new orders from 9 December. The decision is said to…
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Nov- 2020 -30 NovemberCoronavirus
Shops permitted to open for 24 hours a day
Shops in England will be allowed to trade for 24 hours a day in the coming weeks, housing secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed. The relaxation of trading hours has been made in a bid to support struggling businesses in the run-up to Christmas. Writing in The Telegraph, Jenrick said: “None…
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27 NovemberHigh Street
M&S reverses decision to open on Boxing Day
Marks and Spencer has announced that it will now close its stores on Boxing Day, having previously said it will keep 200 of its stores open. Following the Government’s announcement that restrictions will be temporarily relaxed for a five-day period from the 23-27 December, M&S added it it took the…
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27 NovemberNews
Amazon unveils £374m employee Christmas bonus scheme
Amazon has announced a new Christmas bonus for both full-time and part-time front-line employees. UK Operations employees who are employed by the company from 1 December to 31 December will qualify for a bonus of £300 for full-time employees and £150 for part-time employees. Dave Clark, the senior vice president…
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26 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Mulberry revenue falls 29% as lockdown hits sales
Mulberry has reported a 29% decline in revenue to £48.9m during the first half of the year, as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic impacted its sales. For the 26 weeks ending 26 September 2020, the retailer also revealed an adjusted loss before tax of £1.9m (2019: £10.1m) before adjusting…
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25 NovemberNews
Patisserie Valerie partners with Sainsbury’s
Patisserie Valerie has partnered with Sainsbury’s in a deal that will see 250 stores stock its goods ahead of the Christmas period. According to The Telegraph, the baked goods will be sold in its supermarkets from 2 December. The deal is a first for the brand, which became entangled in…
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25 NovemberCoronavirus
Retail to stabilise as restrictions ease, says CBI
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has suggested that retail sales are set to stabilise as lockdown restrictions begin to ease. Although retail sales volumes fell in the year to November, overall retail sales volumes fell at a similar pace to the previous month, according to the latest CBI quarterly…
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23 NovemberCoronavirus
PM outlines Covid Winter Plan
Boris Johnson has unveiled his ‘Covid Winter Plan’ in the House of Commons this afternoon, whilst outlining England’s return to a three tier system. He confirmed that national restrictions in England will end on 2 December and will “not be renewed”. This will mean that non-essential retail, gyms and the…
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23 NovemberCoronavirus
Government to confirm reopening of non-essential retail
The government is today (23 November) set to confirm that all non-essential retail in England will be permitted to reopen next week, following a four-week lockdown over November. According to Sky News, Boris Johnson is set to make an announcement later this afternoon, where he is expected to lay out…
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23 NovemberHigh Street
Third of consumers to shop this Black Friday
More than a third of UK shoppers are planning to participate in this year’s Black Friday, with 36% stating they will make a purchase during the annual event, according to new research by KPMG. Its latest study polled 2,000 consumers about their spending intentions for Black Friday, and found that…
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