Coronavirus
This coverage analyses the impact of coronavirus on the UK retail industry, focusing on operational challenges, government measures, financial pressures, workforce management, and shifts in consumer behaviour. Reporting provides insights into how retailers responded to closures, safety protocols, supply chain disruptions, and evolving customer needs — helping executives and managers assess lessons learned and long-term changes.
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Feb- 2021 -10 FebruaryClothing & Shoes
Urban Outfitters Q4 sales drop 6.9%
Urban Outfitters has announced its total company net sales for the three months ended January 31, 2021, decreased 6.9% to $1.09bn (£787m) compared with $1.16bn (£837m) the previous year. The retailer also revealed comparable retail segment net sales decreased 7% which the group claims was due to negative retail store…
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10 FebruaryComment
David Berkley QC: Interruption and insurance in the age of Covid
As we emerge from one of the most tumultuous periods in living memory, it perhaps comes as little surprise that insurance has been thrust into the spotlight. The unprecedented impact of the pandemic has brought a renewed focus to the issue of business security and, more specifically, business interruption coverage. …
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9 FebruaryCoronavirus Featured Content
How the fashion industry can survive and thrive post-lockdown
Back when the effects of the coronavirus pandemic first hit in March 2020, everyone seemed to expect the worst for both physical and online retail. Fast forward to 2021 and initial predictions for online retail could not have been more wrong. Propelled primarily by a surge in demand for makeup…
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4 FebruaryProperty
Retail landlords charged nearly £1bn in rates on empty shops
Retail landlords have handed over almost £1bn to English Councils in business rates since the onset of the pandemic despite the current holiday, research from the Altus Group has found. The government, which has invested more than £280bn in business support during the last year, gave premises in those sectors…
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3 FebruaryGovernment
Buy-now-pay-later to be regulated following FCA review
Buy-now-pay-later schemes are set to face stricter regulations and controls after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a review into the unsecured credit market. BNPL products have seen a “rapid” increase in popularity as the pandemic has continued to drive online shopping. These purchases nearly quadrupled in 2020, with sales…
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Jan- 2021 -29 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
H&M FY profits fall 88%
H&M has revealed the extent of damage coronavirus has had on its business, with profit crashing 88% to SEK 2.05bn (£179m) in its full-year results, down from SEK 17.4bn (£1.5bn) the year before. In the full-year ended 30 November 2020, net sales also fell by 18% to SEK 187bn (£16.3bn),…
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28 JanuaryAnalysis
Supermarkets, the unsung heroes
Of all the many seismic changes that 2020 has precipitated, one that may have gone under the radar of most people is the impact of the pandemic on perceptions of the UK supermarket sector. Long lambasted for alleged price fixing tactics, squeezing suppliers and environmental concerns, the sector appeared locked…
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26 JanuaryAnalysis
The new front door to welcoming customers
The pandemic has hit retailers hard, with well-known brands already falling victim to the severe impact of lockdown. Coronavirus restrictions have forced retailers of all shapes and sizes to shift priority to digital channels, ensure customer services can operate remotely, and make necessary adjustments to protect shoppers in-store. The ability…
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26 JanuaryCoronavirus
Unemployment rises 5% to 1.7m
The UK unemployment rate rose by 5% in the three months to November with over 1.7 million people now out of work, according to the latest figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Since February 2020, the number of payroll employees has fallen by 828,000, however, the ONS said…
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25 JanuaryAdvice
Turn the tide in your favour
When customers went to buy groceries online after the latest national lockdown was announced on 4 January, they were met with a sense of deja vu. Surges in traffic to popular grocers like Sainsbury’s and Tesco meant that many customers couldn’t access websites and apps to place food orders and…
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