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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Jul- 2020 -29 JulyHigh Street
Games Workshop profits soar in full-year results
Games Workshop saw its pre-tax profits jump to £89.4m during the year ended 31 May 2020, up from £81.3 in 2019, despite closing stores for six weeks during the Covid-19 pandemic. The retailer also reported a 5.1% increase in sales to £269.7m during the period. Some 29% of sales were…
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28 JulyDepartment Stores
Selfridges to axe 450 roles
Selfridges has outlined plans to cut 450 roles across its business, equating to a 14% reduction of its total headcount. Managing director, Anne Pitcher, warned staff of the proposed redundancies as the group predicted “significantly less” sales in the coming year. Pitcher reportedly told staff that those currently placed on…
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28 JulyCoronavirus Featured Content
Automation: How it helps retailers cut costs and remain agile
Retail operations are more expensive to run in a post-Covid world due to the extra demands of cleaning throughout the day and managing access to achieve the maximum occupation numbers. And on top of all of all of this, lower footfall and sales than usual. As the old saying goes,…
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27 JulyDepartment Stores
Debenhams seeks potential buyer
Debenhams has confirmed that administrators are considering its sale to a third party in a bid to lead the business out of its current administration. According to The Guardian, the department store group has now appointed investment bank Lazard to oversee the sale process, and “hopes to secure a buyer…
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24 JulyTips
How Covid-19 has changed consumer behaviour
We are five months into one of the most catastrophic events of recent history, and the world’s economies are still reeling from its effects. Almost overnight, people’s lifestyles and behaviours have changed dramatically. Small businesses and major corporations alike are struggling to cope with a radically different retail landscape that…
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24 JulyHigh Street
Dyson to axe 900 jobs
Dyson is set to cut almost 900 jobs as a result of consumers turning to online purchases during the Covid-19 pandemic. The group said the Covid-19 crisis has “accelerated changes” in consumer behaviour, which has required Dyson to change in how it engages with its customers and how it sells…
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24 JulyOnline & Digital
Naked Wines chairman to step down
Naked Wines chairman, John Walden, has announced he will step down from the position. Walden has informed the board of his intention to step down as chairman of the group and leave the board after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 6 August due to “personal reasons”. Walden said: “It…
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23 JulyCoronavirus
Gear4music reports 80% increase in UK sales
Gear4music has reported an 80% increase in UK sales to £21.2m in its first quarter of the current year, compared with £11.8m in 2019. In the three months to 30 June, the company reported a 68% increase in total sales to £37.7m, compared with £22.2m in the same period last…
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22 JulyComment
Ensuring digital accessibility is part of the retail journey
The rapid acceleration of digital transformation has been one of the most remarkable aspects of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, with people literally Zooming to stay in touch and accessing online products and services in unprecedented numbers. There is little doubt that the coronavirus has dealt a devastating…
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22 JulyLuxury Goods
Tapestry CEO resigns after company launches investigation
Tapestry, the parent company of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman, has announced its chairman and CEO Jide Zeitlin, has resigned from the company and its board of directors due to “personal reasons”. However, sources told The Wall Street Journal that Zeitlin resigned from the company after the board launched…
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