Interest Rates
This coverage explores UK interest rate movements and their impact on the retail industry, focusing on monetary policy decisions, borrowing costs, consumer spending, and retailer financing strategies. Reporting highlights how rate changes affect sales dynamics, investment planning, and operational budgets — providing insight for executives, finance leads, and business strategists navigating economic volatility.
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Jun- 2023 -14 JuneComment
E-commerce businesses can fight inflation – here’s how
Consumers continue tightening their belts as the cost of living crisis bites. And the outlook isn’t ideal; UK inflation remains stubbornly high, especially compared to the Eurozone and the US. The cost-of-living crisis, combined with the rising cost of raw materials, packaging, transport and labour, is putting insurmountable pressure on…
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12 JuneNews
UK economy set to grow amid increased investment, says CBI
The economy looks to have fared better than expected in the first half of 2023, and is set to steer clear of a recession, according to the CBI’s latest Economic Forecast. The CBI has forecasted 0.4% growth in GDP over 2023, picking up to 1.8% in 2024, upgraded from -0.4%…
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9 JuneNews
May records negative retail sales for the first time since 2021
May experienced negative retail sales marking the end of 26 months of positive results, dating back to March 2021, according to new data from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO. According to BDO’s latest High Street Sales Tracker, total like-for-like (LFL) sales, in-store and online combined, fell by -1.5%. Despite…
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May- 2023 -24 MayFeatures
Will businesses survive after entering into administration?
Can you tell me about yourself? I am a chartered accountant and I lead the expanding retail and consumer goods sector, responsible for defining and implementing the Mazars strategy for our consumer clients. I’m also a consulting partner that brings insight and value to clients by directing our full suite…
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11 MayEconomy
BoE raises interest rate for 12th time to 4.5%
The Bank of England (BoE) has raised interest rates for the 12th consecutive time to 4.5%, up from 4.25%. The BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 7-2 to increase the rate by 0.25% in a bid to meet the 2% inflation target. The committee said it…
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4 MayHealth & Beauty
Mothercare enters refinancing talks ahead of FY results
Mothercare has kicked off refinancing talks with its lender in a bid to renegotiate or refinance its debt facility amid rising interest rates, whilst welcoming “resilient” trading over the last year. The group expects to report adjusted EBITDA of £6.5m to £7m for FY23, which would be ahead of analysts’…
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Apr- 2023 -27 AprilSupermarkets
Asda and EG merger threatens food supply and jobs, says GMB
The merger between Asda and petrol forecourt business EG Group will threaten the UK’s food supply, fuel prices and 100,000 jobs, the GMG union told the trade secretary Kemi Badenoch in a letter. In the letter, the union pointed out that Asda’s debts are already thought to be more than…
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24 AprilEconomy
Retail profit warnings fall to lowest level since 2020
UK-listed retailers issued five profit warnings in Q1 2023, marking a decrease from the nine issued in both Q4 2022 and Q1 2022, according to the latest data from EY. Despite representing the sector’s lowest quarterly total since Q4 2020, it said “persistent inflation, high interest rates and tightening consumer…
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17 AprilM&A
Retail M&A deals up 30% since pre-pandemic times, study finds
The number of UK M&A deals targeting retailers has increased by 30% since before the pandemic, with 34 retail M&A deals announced in 2022 compared with 26 in 2019, according to research by international law firm, RPC. This marks only a marginal decline from 35 retail deals in 2021 –…
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6 AprilHigh Street
Footfall falls 2.8% in March
March delivered an unexpected shock for retailers as footfall across all UK retail destinations dropped by -2.8% compared with February, according to the latest data from MRI Springboard. Springboard said it is the first month-on-month decline for March since it started publishing data in January 2009, except for 2018 (Beast…
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