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 -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 » -
19 JuneClothing & Shoes
92% of shopworkers oppose longer Sunday working hours, says Usdaw
Some 92% of retail staff in England have opposed large shops opening for more than six hours on a Sunday, as the government considers deregulating Sunday trading. According to a survey by shopworkers trade union Usdaw, 66% of the 11,000 retail staff said they feel they are pressured to work…
Read More » -
18 JuneComment
Temperature checking employees – don’t get your fingers burnt in an employment tribunal
As lockdown eases, retailers are looking closely at sensible practical measures that they can implement to help minimise the risk of Covid-19 spreading within workplaces. Many lessons have been learnt from the experiences of essential retailers who have either stayed open throughout the pandemic, or who have now reopened their…
Read More » -
18 JuneClothing & Shoes
Allsaints launches CVA proposal
Clothing retailer Allsaints has revealed the launch of a CVA proposal that aims to restructure both its UK and US store portfolio and move to a turnover-based rent structure due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Allsaints said the move comes despite year-on-year revenue growth for five successive years.…
Read More »
