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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Nov- 2020 -3 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Laura Ashley returns to high street with Next partnership
Laura Ashley is set to return to the UK high street next year with a new partnership with Next, which will sell its homeware products and will launch a series of new stores. According to The Guardian, the clothing and home furnishing retailer said it will reintroduce its homeware via…
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Oct- 2020 -29 OctoberClothing & Shoes
Shoe Zone to close fifth of stores over next two years
Shoe Zone has announced it expects to close a further 90 stores in the next 18 to 24 months, attributing the closures to the continued impact of Covid-19. The shoe retailer said it will close up to 45 stores by April 2021 in a move that will create “numerous” redundancies,…
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29 OctoberEntertainment
Hornby returns to profit as revenue surges 33%
Hornby has made a return to profitability in the first half of its financial year. The hobby products company, specialising in model trains, has increased its revenue by 33% to £21.1m following a business restructuring and new product launches. The business reported a statutory pre-tax profit of £17,000 compared to…
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28 OctoberComment
How temporary workers could make the difference to Covid-19 workforce planning
Today, on average just one in six firms (15%) rely on a flexible workforce; with 1.5 million temporary employees working in the UK today. In comparison, eight in 10 (80%) retail businesses have hired more agency workers during COVID-19, as unpredictable demand forces brands to re-think their staffing strategies and…
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27 OctoberClothing & Shoes
EWM begins shuttering small number of stores
The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group (EWM) has reportedly already marked a small number of stores for closure as it continues to try and secure its future amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Drapers, EWM branded stores in Penrith, Cumbria and Dingwall in Scotland closed permanently over the weekend (24-25 October)…
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27 OctoberClothing & Shoes
Quiz swings to loss as online sales fall
Quiz has swung to a loss of £3.7m in the full-year ended 31 March 2020, against a profit of £0.6m the previous year. In its latest preliminary results, the clothing retailer also confirmed that group revenue fell by 10%, while underlying EBITDA fell to £0.6m for the full-year, against the…
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26 OctoberHealth & Beauty
Unilever Q3 sales up 4.4%
Unilever has announced underlying sales growth of 4.4% for Q3 despite the impact of Covid-19. Turnover for Q3 fell 1.3% to €5.98bn (£5.43bn) from €6.06bn (£5.49bn) the previous year which the company attributed to the “changing consumer and channel dynamics” that have come about as a result of the Covid-19…
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22 OctoberNews
Travis Perkins like-for-like group sales decline 3.4%
Travis Perkins has reported its total like-for-like group sales declined 3.4% in Q3 compared with the same period last year, according to the company’s latest financial statement. The trading company said the fall in sales was a reflection of the branch closures in June as a result of Covid-19. The…
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22 OctoberClothing & Shoes
TM Lewin owner eyes Jaeger bid
The owner of menswear retailer TM Lewin is reportedly considering a bid for Phillip Day’s embattled retail brand Jaeger. According to Sky News, Torque Brands, the investment vehicle formed by businessman James Cox, is one of a small number of businesses which have expressed interest in acquiring the brand. Jaeger…
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21 OctoberEntertainment
Geek Retreat plans on opening 100 more stores
Games and fantasy company Geek Retreat has confirmed its plans to open another 100 stores over the next two years according to the BBC. The new 100 store plan is predicted to create around 600 new jobs. The retailer said it plans on opening sites in Bournemouth, Northampton and Liverpool…
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