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.
-
Jun- 2020 -24 June
Amazon launches small business accelerator to support over 200,000 small retailers
Amazon and Enterprise Nation, the small business support network, have launched the ‘Amazon Small Business Accelerator’, a major support package for more than 200,000 small businesses and startups across the UK. In response to Covid-19 and the “impact of the economic lockdown on small businesses”, the Amazon Small Business Accelerator…
Read More » -
24 JuneCoronavirus
Naked Wines reports £200m revenues in FY results
Naked Wines has reported a 14% increase in revenues to £203m for the full-year period ended 30 March, up from £178.4m the previous year. The company also revealed that losses before tax also reduced to £5.4m, compared with £10m in 2019. Naked Wines said the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic…
Read More » -
23 JuneCoronavirus Featured Content
Three ways that Covid-19 will change British retail forever
In the midst of a global pandemic the UK high street is suffering more than ever before with many ailing big names, from fashion retailer French Connection warning it will run out of cash within the next few months unless it secures a cash injection, to the ongoing struggles of…
Read More » -
23 JuneCoronavirus
Shoe Zone to make redundancies as 20 shops close
Footwear retailer Shoe Zone has revealed that 20 of its stores will not open post-lockdown, resulting in a number of its staff being made redundant. The news comes after the company reported a loss of £2.5m for the 26 weeks to 4 April 2020, compared with a profit of £1m…
Read More » -
22 JuneClothing & Shoes
JD Sports in talks to appoint administrators for Go Outdoors
Sports fashion retailer JD Sports is reportedly lined up to bring in administrators for its Go Outdoors business. In a statement released this morning, JD Sports said: “The group can confirm that it has considered a number of strategic options for Go and that Go’s directors have lodged the notice…
Read More » -
22 JuneComment
The perfect storm?
There is something of a ‘perfect storm’ for our town centres… Fewer shops trading than a few months ago, big brands announcing further closures, plans already on the table for repurposing retail space no longer viable, travel restrictions making it harder for people to reach town centres, now fewer people…
Read More » -
22 JuneHigh Street
Mothercare seeks new lenders amid franchising plans
Mothercare has confirmed it remains “on track” to become a “profitable” international franchise operation, with plans to operate in around 40 international territories. In its latest update, the retailer confirmed that discussions are ongoing with existing franchise partners in efforts to “establish a more sustainable and less capital-intensive business” going…
Read More » -
19 JuneAdvice
How e-commerce can maintain business continuity in the face of Covid-19
Covid-19 and the government stay-at-home and shutdown orders have wreaked havoc on the retail industry. Footfall was down 44.7% in March. High street stores without ecommerce operations saw sales collapse. Primark, for instance, saw its monthly sales of £650m a month evaporate. And whilst ecommerce retailers have the advantage of…
Read More » -
19 JuneAdvice
Retailers must ensure the mental health of their workforce is a top priority
According to the World Health Organisation, in recent years depression has crept up the ladder to become the most common cause of ill health & disability worldwide. In the UK, at any time, one in six adults reports themselves as suffering from depression or anxiety or phobia or OCD, (that…
Read More » -
19 JuneEconomy
UK consumer confidence rises in June
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased by six points to -30 in June. The measure for the general economic situation of the country during the last 12 months has improved by one point to -59, but is still 27 points lower than in June 2019. Expectations for the general economic…
Read More »
