Guidance
This coverage focuses on trading guidance, financial outlooks, and performance updates issued by UK retail businesses. Retail Sector reports on company forecasts, profit warnings, earnings revisions, and strategic updates that shape investor sentiment and corporate planning across the retail industry. Coverage includes analysis of market reactions, executive commentary, and sector-wide trends influencing guidance from leading retailers. For retail professionals, this category provides critical insights into financial health, market expectations, and business confidence driving decision-making within the UK retail economy.
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Jul- 2020 -9 JulyCoronavirus
Frasers Group to stop rent payments until it can ‘freely trade’
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reportedly told landlords that it will withhold rent payments until it is “fully able to freely trade as a business”. According to a letter seen by Estates Gazette, the Sports Direct owner said although it is willing to enter negotiations with landlords but said that…
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3 JulyClothing & Shoes
Boohoo denies it ‘puts workers at risk’
Online clothing retailer Boohoo has defended its business practices against accusations that it was putting workers at factories in Leicester at risk of contracting coronavirus. The allegations made by worker’s rights group Labour Behind the Label come after the East Midlands city was placed under lockdown earlier this week. The…
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Jun- 2020 -30 JuneCoronavirus
Government confirms changes to ‘flexible’ furlough scheme
The UK government has confirmed the latest set of changes to its “flexible” furlough scheme – dubbed CJRS V2 – ahead of its launch of the 1 July. HM Revenue and Customs has set out the new guidance as the current version of the Coronavirus Job retention Scheme (CJRS) ends…
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30 JuneComment
Should I stay closed or reopen?
Since the start of lockdown, most owner managers have become used to real-time contingency planning and agile decision making. However, with non-essential shops now allowed to reopen, they have been faced with another high-risk financial decision – should they stay closed or reopen? Knowing the key areas to consider and…
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23 JuneCoronavirus
PM confirms relaxation of two-metre social distancing rule
Boris Johnson has announced a reduction in the two-metre social distancing rule. In a speech in parliament this afternoon, the PM said that while maintaining at least a two-metre distance is still “recommended where possible”, the official guidance will be updated to recommend “one-metre-plus” where necessary, if “mitigations” such as…
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19 JuneCoronavirus Featured Content
Making the UK workplace COVID safe
Rumours of the imminent return of the hospitality sector may have been overstated. Many operators may be ready to open in some shape or other after weeks of painstaking planning to ensure that premises can trade. But until employees are back off furlough, premises have been deep cleaned and the…
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19 JuneCoronavirus
Retail sales bounce back in May, says ONS
The volume of retail sales volumes “partly rebounded” in May, according to the latest statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Sales volumes saw an increase of 12% when compared with the “record falls” experienced the previous month, but sales were still down by 13.1% on February, before the…
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18 JuneCoronavirus
Employers given 30 days to ‘confess’ to furlough abuses
Legislation is currently being fast-tracked to allow HMRC to reclaim any furlough money overpaid to employers, or not spent on wages as intended. Although we do not have the final version of the legislation, employers should start addressing their minds to the claims they have made to date as soon…
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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…
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16 JuneClothing & Shoes
Joules predicts £3m loss after pandemic hit
Fashion retailer Joules has predicted an underlying loss for its 2020 financial year of between £2m and £3m attributed to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In a pre-closing update ended 31 May 2020, Joules said the impact of the Covid-19 virus between March and May resulted in a “material…
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