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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Aug- 2020 -25 AugustCoronavirus Featured Content
The three waves for retailers
Retailers don’t have the luxury of focusing solely on the short-term impact of Covid-19. The familiar retail experience that we’ve come to known will evolve and many of the changes the industry is implementing to counter the effects of the pandemic will become permanent, resulting in a new normal. We’ve…
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25 AugustDepartment Stores
DFS trading remains ‘strong’ despite lockdown
DFS announced today it is continuing to trade “strongly” both online and in showrooms despite the economic downturn, with year-on-year intake growth over the last six weeks that is equivalent to approximately £70m of revenues. This trading is “significantly” ahead of the furniture retailer’s initial expectations, with its previously announced…
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24 AugustSupermarkets
Tesco creates 16,000 new permanent roles
Tesco has unveiled plans to create 16,000 new permanent roles to support the growth of its online business. These 16,000 jobs are in addition to the 4,000 permanent jobs already created since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The roles will include 10,000 pickers to assemble customer orders and 3,000…
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24 AugustEconomy
Record economic growth anticipated for Q3
The UK is reportedly on track for a record economic resurgence during the third quarter of the year, following sharp declines in GDP at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Q2. According to the Financial Times (FT), City of London economists have predicted a 14.3% rise in GDP for…
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24 AugustHigh Street
Foot Locker sales jump 18% in Q2 results
Foot locker has reported a 17.1 % increase in total sales to $2bn (£1.5bn) for the second-quarter period ended 1 August 2020. Second quarter comparable-store sales also increased by 18.6% during the period. However, the company’s gross margin rate decreased to 25.9% from 30.1% when compared with the same time…
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24 AugustDepartment Stores
Debenhams owner calls in advisers for its own administration
The holding company of Debenhams, Celine Group Holdings, has appointed advisers to help prepare for its own administration. Celine confirmed that Philip James Watkins and Philip Lewis Armstrong of FRP Advisory have been appointed as administrators in respect of the company and its immediate parent company, Celine UK Newco 1…
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21 AugustHealth & Beauty
Estée Lauder to axe up to 2,000 jobs
Estée Lauder has announced that it will axe between 1,500 and 2,000 positions across its global business in a bid to restructure the company following the coronavirus crisis. The redundancies, which form part of its ‘Post-Covid Business Acceleration Program’, will primarily affect point of sale employees and support staff in…
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20 AugustHigh Street
Frasers Group profits slump in full-year results
Frasers Group has reported a 19.9% decrease in pre-tax profits to £143.5m in its preliminary results for the year ended 26 April 2020. Despite the drop, the group saw revenues increase by 6.9% during the year. EBITDA also increased by 98.7% to £551m compared with £277.3m in the prior period,…
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20 AugustComment
How retailers can use feedback during a crisis to strengthen their brand
It’s no secret that the retail industry has been severely affected by Covid-19-related shutdowns and a crumbling economy. Despite non-essential retail being allowed to open its brick-and-mortar stores, there is still much uncertainty about what exactly lies ahead for the sector. Pair this with the pressure of ensuring brand survival…
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19 AugustCoronavirus
Pizza Express to close 73 sites, 1,100 jobs at risk
Pizza Express has formally launched a CVA in a bid to reduce its restaurant estate and rental cost base following the pandemic. The CVA proposal will see the permanent closure of 73 restaurants, resulting in a loss of 1,100 jobs. The casual dining chain first announced it had reached an…
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