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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Sep- 2020 -14 SeptemberFeatures
Behind the headline figures: Four reasons for optimism for retailers
The latest retail figures are showing signs of real encouragement for retailers. Retail sales volumes rose a better-than-expected 3.6% in July and are now above pre-pandemic levels. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that sales rose 2% ahead of a 0.2% prediction by economists, and this was on…
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9 SeptemberNews
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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Aug- 2020 -25 AugustOnline & Digital
Studio Retail Group profits rise in full-year results
The Studio Retail Group (SRG) has hailed a strong year of growth after posting a 3.9% increase in adjusted operating profits for the period ended 27 March 2020. Total group revenue increased by 2.2% to £514.8m during the year and core net debt reduced by £5.6m to £51.8m. Studio, SRG’s…
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6 AugustClothing & Shoes
Joules swings to £2m loss in full-year results
Joules has announced that it swung to a pre-tax loss of £2m in its full-year of trading, down from the £12.9m profit it reported the year prior. Group revenue also fell by 12.5% to £190.8m in the period, down from the £218m reported the year before. The retailer noted that…
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Jul- 2020 -30 JulySupermarkets
Aldi to create 1,200 new jobs by end of the year
Aldi is set to hire 1,200 new employees by the end of the year as it pushes ahead with plans to open an average of one new store a week between now and Christmas. The supermarket, which currently has more than 890 stores and employs around 35,000 people across the…
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Jun- 2020 -11 JuneComment
Retail experience will never be the same
While COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the UK’s retail sector, it should not come as a surprise to see the high street in peril. Even prior to the outbreak, retailers had endured a torrid twelve months – a poor Christmas period had led into a traditionally weaker opening…
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3 JuneSport & Leisure
Angling Direct reports £1.5m net loss in FY results
Fishing tackle and equipment retailer Angling Direct has reported net losses of £1.5m in its full-year results, attributing the decline to “adverse” post-Christmas trading due to “exceptional flooding”. For the year ended 31 January 2020, the retailer also reported EBITDA losses (pre IFRS 16) of £500,000 compared with £300,000 in…
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May- 2020 -27 MayOnline & Digital
UK online sales surge by more than 100% in May
UK online sales surged by 103% in the four weeks ended 16 May, according to new data from Nielsen. The consumer insights firm said this was a significant increase compared with the 6.6% sales growth in bricks-and-mortar stores, with online share of sales now accounting for 13% of all grocery…
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1 MayCoronavirus
Iceland boss hits back at HMRC over minimum wage probe
The boss of Iceland has hit back at HMRC for “harassing” the business in regards to a previous minimum wage tax dispute amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. According to the Times, Sir Malcom Walker, who founded the businesses over 50 years ago, said in a letter that HMRC should be…
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Apr- 2020 -29 AprilComment
Twin peaks: it’s a time of peak purchasing, but not as we know it
Purchasing in the time of Covid-19 is fuelled far more by necessity than luxury, and it’s an unprecedented peak the retail industry is rapidly trying to adjust to. These aren’t indulgent puddings to follow your Christmas spread, or a fun new gadget you’ve treated yourself to because the Black Friday…
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