Covid-19
This coverage examines the effects of Covid-19 on the UK retail industry, focusing on operational disruption, financial pressures, consumer behaviour shifts, and recovery strategies. Reporting includes lockdown impacts, safety measures, supply chain challenges, online growth, and leadership decisions that shaped responses to the crisis. Designed for executives and managers, it offers lessons and insights for navigating future disruptions.
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Apr- 2021 -29 AprilHigh Street
WH Smith launches fundraise to open 100 new travel stores
WH Smith has unveiled plans to open around 100 new travel stores after launching a £325 bond offering in convertible bonds, despite reporting losses in its half-year results. The group, which also secured a £250m revolving credit facility with an extended maturity to 2025, said the funds will aid the…
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29 AprilClothing & Shoes
French Connection FY21 revenue drops 40.4%
French Connection saw its revenues plummet 40.4% year-on-year to £71.5m in the 12 months to 31 January 2021. The fashion retailer and wholesaler’s underlying losses for the period also expanded to £11.7m, from £2.9m the year before, as Covid-19 caused store closures and a reduction to wholesale demand. The group…
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28 AprilSupermarkets
Sainsbury’s swings to £261m loss as Covid costs rise to £485m
Sainsbury’s has slumped to a pre-tax loss of £261m, down from a profit of £255m the year before, after it was hit by £485m in Covid-19 related costs during the full-year period ending 6 March 2021. Alongside the Covid-related costs, the group also attributed the loss to costs arising from…
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28 AprilElectrical
Dixons Carphone to scrap airport shopping business
Dixons Carphone is set to close its airport shopping business, just months after the UK government announced plans to remove airside tax-free shopping. In a trading update, the electrical retailer said that it did not expect passenger numbers to “recover sufficiently” to compensate for the removal of the tax. This…
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28 AprilAdvice
Unlocking the future of in-store shopping – with our phones
Amazon Fresh still seems surreal (at least for some shoppers, for whom it feels a bit too closely like theft!). It’s a relatively new concept in the UK, with just three Amazon stores live at time of writing. But everything else surrounding the Fresh concept is already second nature, and…
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26 AprilAdvice
Tackling the new user, missed opportunity phenomenon
In a turbulent year, retailers have faced both famine (with retail stores closing) and feast (with the spike in online shopping) as they adapted to the restrictions and opportunities created by Covid-19. Our research shows that in the past 12 months the number of first-time online shoppers has doubled. However,…
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23 AprilAdvice
Getting ready for the post-covid retail boom
From being in the grip of the second wave in a bleak mid-Winter two months ago with so much uncertainty and anxiety there really has been a remarkable turnaround due to the determination of all to fix this situation. A majority of the population have been vaccinated and sunnier days…
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19 AprilFeatures
The Suez Canal blockage: An accident with lasting ramifications
Some six days the Ever Given spent blocking the Suez Canal before it was refloated on 29 March, with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) claiming that the global shipping route was once again “operating in full capacity” on 31 March. However, the fallout and impacts of the week-long incident on…
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19 AprilAnalysis
How retailers can optimise their digital strategies for a post-lockdown world
As we pass the anniversary of the first national lockdown, many retailers are pausing to reflect on how the past year has impacted their business. While some have struggled to adapt others have thrived, seeing restrictions as an opportunity to attract new customers through Google Shopping and e-commerce platforms. With…
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16 AprilComment
Real time data underpins retail success with unpredictable shoppers
We live in unprecedented times and for retailers this challenging environment throws a new curve ball each week. Shopper behaviour is not easy to predict in normal circumstances and Covid-19 has exacerbated this challenge. This can, for example, be seen in foot traffic to stores – a key indicator of shopper…
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