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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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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23 AprilCoronavirus Featured Content
The role of the physical store post-lockdown
The role of the physical store post-lockdown Retailers have been hit by an escalating “perfect storm” of issues recently – digital disruption, business rates increases, a weak Christmas peak, and now the Covid-19 virus. Businesses with greater debts, low cash reserves, and reduced margins were sadly always going to struggle,…
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20 AprilComment
What’s behind the demise of Cath Kidston?
Sadly, the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutting of high street stores has compounded the effects on the already struggling retail sector. Along with other 90s/early 2000s favourites Oasis and Warehouse, homeware and clothing retailer Cath Kidston announced it was going into administration this month. According to Savanta BrandVue Retail data,…
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7 AprilCoronavirus
Footfall nosedives by 81%
Footfall across bricks and mortar retail destinations declined by 75.1% in the week beginning 22 March, according to the latest data from retail intelligence experts Springboard. Their findings also found that footfall plummeted by 81.4% last week, suggesting the government-enforced lockdown is working. Whilst footfall continued to decline annually, the…
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Mar- 2020 -24 MarchCoronavirus
Drop in footfall three times higher than worst recorded, says Springboard
Springboard has revealed that the annual change in footfall last week represented an “unprecedented decline” that was three times greater than the worst previously recorded. The retail intelligence company said that we are starting to see the “true impact” of coronavirus on consumer activity. It added the result for the…
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18 MarchHigh Street
2,000 Mountain Warehouse jobs at risk as coronavirus impacts sales
Mountain Warehouse is considering cutting almost 2,000 jobs following a major slump in sales as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Guardian, the outdoor clothing and equipment retailer’s CEO and founder, Mark Neale, said the company was in a “battle for survival” after footfall at its stores…
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