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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Jan- 2021 -22 JanuaryAdvice
Don’t relapse into a brick-and-mortar mentality
Despite vaccines being rolled out and there being some semblance of light at the end of the tunnel, the situation for brick-and-mortar stores this year remains bleak. In-store retail continues to struggle and according to a recent report from The Centre for Retail Research, up to 200,000 in-store jobs could…
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22 JanuaryAdvice
The rise of friendly fraud: What’s so friendly about it, anway?
Can there be such a thing as ‘friendly’ fraud? What exactly is it, why is it happening and what can be done to safeguard against it? I’m sure you’re aware that over the course of the past 10 months there have been some significant changes in the way we act.…
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22 JanuaryDepartment Stores
Selfridges endures ‘most difficult year’ thanks to 2019 performance
Selfridges has endured the “most difficult year” in its 113-year history, but was able to weather the storm. The chain of luxury department stores was reportedly kept afloat through growing sales in 2019 and investing in e-commerce. Anne Pitcher, managing director at the group, confirmed to the Times that the…
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19 JanuaryGovernment
Sunak looks to raise corporation tax in March budget
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly looking to raise corporation tax in the upcoming March budget to pay off the estimated £400bn borrowed by the UK throughout the pandemic. According to The Financial Times, the alleged move has sparked uproar among business owners who claim they are still struggling with the…
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15 JanuaryHigh Street
Supreme Court sides with small firms in business interruption insurance case
The Supreme Court has delivered its judgment in the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA)’s business interruption insurance test case, with the court’s ruling in the favour of small firms potentially forcing insurers to pay out £1.2bn in CBI claims. Following the judgement, thousands of policyholders will now have their claims for…
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13 JanuaryAdvice
Physical retail in the year 2021
The relationship between the high street and its consumers has been somewhat turbulent during the coronavirus pandemic. Since reopening in June, nonessential stores have battled for the attention of wary consumers to tempt them away from online shopping, which became the enforced norm during lockdown. Undoubtedly, it’ll be a battle…
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12 JanuaryGovernment
New top-up grants to be given to Scottish retail
Eligible Scottish retail firms that have been impacted by tier four restrictions are set to receive a one-off top-up grant from the Scottish government. A “financial lifeline” of £9,000 will be provided to businesses in the industry with a rateable value of over £50,001, while £6,000 will be given to…
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6 JanuaryComment
How retailers can build a strong digital presence
Despite the announcement of a COVID vaccine last week, it’s clear that consumers’ shopping habits won’t be returning to ‘normal’ anytime soon. Even before the crisis, the high street had been fighting a losing battle against Amazon and the wider shift towards e-commerce. This has only accelerated as lockdown restrictions…
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5 JanuaryHigh Street
BRC says national lockdown will be severe on businesses
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has released a response to the latest lockdown restrictions imposed by the government stating the “severity” it will have on businesses. The restrictions announced yesterday (4 January 2021) force the closure of all non-essential retail, pushing the UK back into a lockdown similar to March.…
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Dec- 2020 -23 DecemberNews
Tesco limits sale of essential items
Tesco has limited the number of sales customers can make on essential goods such as toilet roll, flour, dried pasta, baby wipes and anti-bacterial wipes, with customers now only able to purchase three of each item. It is thought that the big four supermarket made the decision as part of…
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