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 -15 AprilOnline & Digital
The Hut Group revenues soar 42% in ‘milestone’ year
The Hut Group has announced that group revenues soared by 42% to £1.6bn in its full-year results, as the wider consumer shift to digital channels “continued apace”. In what was a “milestone” year for the group, EBITDA was up by 35% to £150.8m in the period and new customers rose…
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15 AprilShopping Centres
British Land eyes open-air retail parks
Property group British Land has unveiled plans to invest in more out-of-town retail parks as it capitalises on a click and collect strategy. The company is set to bet on a faster return of open-air locations where social distancing can be more easily managed than in covered shopping centres. In…
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14 AprilAdvice
A repackaged retail strategy – How FMCG brands are innovating to stay ahead
The FMCG category has been buffeted by unprecedented change over the past year with huge disruption to traditional routes to market and dramatically altered customer behaviour. With consumers stuck at home, brands have been forced to overhaul long-running product distribution strategies and completely rethink marketing plans for product launches. Encouragingly…
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13 AprilSport & Leisure
JD Sports ‘retains profitability’ in FY21
JD Sports has posted a pre-tax profit of £421.3m, before exceptional items, in its financial results for the year to 30 January 2021. While this represents a drop in pre-tax profit from the previous year, down from £438.8m, the sports retailer confirmed it has “retained substantially all of its record…
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12 AprilAnalysis
How John Lewis plans to bounce back
In 2007, upmarket retail giant John Lewis revealed plans for an ambitious expansion scheme, which aimed to double the size of its business. At the time, the company only had 26 sites across the UK and the £700m investment was created to increase its high street presence: bringing a further…
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12 AprilDepartment Stores
John Lewis to suspend store closures
John Lewis has confirmed that it has no plans to close any further stores, according to The Times. Executive director Pippa Wicks insisted the chain will not close any more shops and defended its strategy to date, following news that eight John Lewis sites would not reopen post-lockdown. According to…
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12 AprilHigh Street
Monsoon opens new boutique store in London
Monsoon has opened a new boutique store today (12 April) On London’s Marylebone High Street. The store is part of a “refresh of Monsoon”, taking the brand “back to its roots”, and aims to celebrate its “heritage, craft and commitment to sustainability and ethical trade”. The Marylebone High Street location…
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9 AprilClothing & Shoes
Uniqlo owner sees H1 profits rise 13.7%
Uniqlo’s owner Fast Retailing saw its profit before income taxes climb 13.7% year-on-year to Y171.5bn (£1.1bn) for the six months ended 28 February 2021. The group has also reported a Y31bn (£207.8m) rise in operating profits for the period, increasing from Y136bn (£909.3m) in H1 2020 to Y167bn (£1.11bn) in…
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9 AprilHigh Street
Frasers warns of £200m lockdown hit
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has warned that it expects to take a hit in excess of £200m due to the impact of Covid-19 – double what the retailer predicted in February. The group, which owns Sports Direct and House of Frasers, has said that further Covid-19 restrictions are “almost certain”. …
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8 AprilHigh Street
Co-op to repay £15m furlough relief as profits rise to £77m
The Co-op has revealed it will repay £15.5m of the Covid relief it received from the government’s furlough scheme but will retain what it received in business rates support. The news comes after it reported a bumper rise in profits after tax and discontinued items for the year to £77m.…
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