Pandemic
This coverage examines the impact of pandemics on the UK retail industry, focusing on operational disruption, financial challenges, consumer behaviour shifts, and recovery strategies. Reporting highlights store closures, safety measures, supply chain pressures, leadership decisions, and lessons learned to enhance resilience. Tailored for executives and managers, it provides insights to navigate crisis situations and strengthen preparedness.
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Feb- 2021 -23 FebruaryGovernment
Gov should ‘remain flexible’ when lifting retail ban, says BRC
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said the government should “remain flexible” and allow non-essential retailers to reopen as soon as the data suggests it is safe to do so. The statement comes in response to Boris Johnson’s roadmap’ out of lockdown, where the PM said it is possible that…
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23 FebruaryClothing & Shoes
Clarks CEO steps down amid C-suite shake-up
Giorgio Presca has reportedly stepped down from his role as CEO of Clarks, according to Drapers. Presca, along with the shoe retailer’s chief commercial officer, Massimo Barzaghi and chief people officer, Difna Blamey, are said to have exited the business last week. Victor Herrero, the retailer’s non-executive director, will reportedly…
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22 FebruaryAnalysis
The restructuring options for retailers before it’s too late for rescue
Despite a glimmer of hope that Government may extend more Covid-19 support measures, retailers shouldn’t leave their future to chance if they want to boost their prospects of surviving the pandemic. Up until recent days, it looked like retailers were facing a so-called perfect storm. A moratorium protecting retail tenants…
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22 FebruaryAdvice
Retail needs to adapt to the new necessities
“Who are these people buying heels?!” one of my team members asked in wonder today, when discussing how spending habits have changed so dramatically in the last 12 months. She couldn’t imagine why anyone would be buying anything other than more sweatpants and slippers. I didn’t tell her about the…
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22 FebruarySupermarkets
Aldi crowned UK’s favourite in-store supermarket by Which?
Aldi has been named the UK’s favourite in-store supermarket in Which?’s annual satisfaction survey. According to the consumer organisation, Aldi emerged as the top in-store supermarket in the UK after receiving a five-star rating for value for money – the only supermarket to achieve this in the survey – and…
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19 FebruaryComment
E-commerce: The benefits and hidden dangers for an independent retailer
Over the past year, repeated lockdowns and tiered restrictions have forced retailers to close their premises and halt trading. Customers have had little choice but to do more of their shopping online. For independent retailers, e-commerce could provide an opportunity to take advantage of recent shifts in shopping behaviour and…
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19 FebruaryGovernment
Sunak to delay review of business rates until autumn
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to reveal that he will delay a final report on the review of business rates until later this year. According to The Financial Times, the delay of the report, which was set to consider the introduction of an online sales tax, comes as the chancellor…
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19 FebruaryCoronavirus
Retail sales tumble 8.2% in January despite online boom
Retail sales tumbled by 8.2% in January despite rising online sales, as stores were hit by heightened restrictions amid the third national lockdown. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the value of sales was also 7.8% lower than the previous month, while the overall decline was largely driven…
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18 FebruaryHigh Street
850 retail jobs lost a day so far in 2021
New research has found that 850 retail jobs have been lost every working day so far in 2021, with experts warning that this could be just the “tip of the iceberg”. Analysis from The Centre for Retail Research has revealed that administrations by large multiple retailers, those with 10 or…
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18 FebruaryHigh Street
Charity retailers’ progress stunted by lockdown restrictions
Despite an encouraging start to the period, lockdown restrictions have “taken their toll” on the performance of charity retailers in the fourth quarter of 2020, with the outlook for 2021 remaining “very uncertain”, according to accountancy firm BDO. According to BDO’s Charity Retail Sales Tracker, produced in association with the…
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