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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May- 2020 -26 MayCoronavirus
Non-essential retailers set to open in June
Thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres across England are set to reopen next month once they are “Covid-19 secure” and can show customers will be kept safe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said. All non-essential retailers including shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics,…
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26 May
ScS resumes operations amid Covid-19 lockdown
ScS has announced the reopening of 80 stores across England, after temporarily closing operations on 23 March in line with government guidance. The decision to reopen was made “after carefully considering recently updated government guidelines and implementing enhanced health and safety policies and procedures, to protect our people and our…
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26 MayLuxury Goods
Burberry senior independent director departs due to ‘other executive commitments’
Burberry has announced that Jeremy Darroch, independent non-executive director and senior independent director, has informed the company that he will not stand for re-election at the company’s AGM on 15 July due to “other executive commitments”. Darroch joined the board in February 2014 becoming senior independent director on 1 July…
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22 MayTips
3 Ways UK’s Retail Industry Will Change With COVID-19 – What to Know
With the COVID-19 pandemic making its apparent impact on the operations of British businesses every day, many business owners are in a steady waiting game for everything to go back to normal. While it may be human instinct to be as optimistic as possible in such dire times, the unseen…
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22 MayClothing & Shoes
Clarks to cut 900 jobs as part of new ‘made to last’ strategy
Clarks has announced the launch of its long-term ‘made to last’ strategy that is designed to ensure that Clarks has a “sustainable and successful future”, resulting in around 900 members of staff made redundant. Making the announcement, CEO Giorgio Presca said that the new strategy aims to deliver a new…
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22 MayEconomy
Consumer confidence drops further in May
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index has decreased by one point to -34 for May, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues. The measure for the general economic situation of the country during the last 12 months has dropped seven points to -55, 25 points lower than in May 2019. Additionally, expectations for…
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22 MayClothing & Shoes
Burberry sales fall 27% amid Covid-19 pandemic
Luxury fashion retailer Burberry has reported a 27% decrease in like-for-like sales in its fourth quarter results, attributing the loss to the coronavirus pandemic. The fashion retailer also revealed a 57% drop in operating profit to £189m compared with £437m during the same period last year. Additionally, in its preliminary…
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21 MayComment
Dealing with true demand today to help customers for the coming months
With the COVID-19 novel coronavirus on the rise worldwide, retailers are being forced to rethink their supply strategies on the fly. Demand for sundries and medical essentials is booming – especially via “buy online, pick up in store” (BOPIS) as well as curbside and home delivery channels that aid with…
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21 MayHigh Street
Pets at Home sales top £1bn for the first time
Total annual revenue at Pets at Home exceeded £1bn for the first time in its history, increasing 10.2% to £1,058.8m in the full-year ended 26 March 2020 . Like-for-like revenue also surged 9% during the period, while retail like-for-like revenue was up 9.4%, marking a 15% rise on a two-year…
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20 MaySupermarkets
Asda sees Q1 sales rise 3.5%
Big four grocer Asda has reported a 3.5% like-for-like sales rise during the first quarter of the year following a “surge” in online sales during the coronavirus lockdown. In an update for the three month period ending 31 March 2020, the supermarket said it experienced a surge in demand for…
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