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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Nov- 2020 -11 NovemberNews
Amazon accused of breaching EU antitrust laws
Amazon has been informed by the European Commission of its preliminary view that it has breached EU antitrust rules by distorting competition in online retail markets. The US online retailer was accused of “systematically relying” on non-public business data of independent sellers who sell on its marketplace which benefits Amazon’s…
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11 NovemberSupermarkets
Supermarkets launch drive to extend Sunday trading hours
Leaders of the UK’s biggest supermarkets have come together in a fresh drive to extend Sunday trading hours in the lead up to Christmas, according to Sky News. It comes as executives from major grocers, including J Sainsbury and Wm Morrison, are warning ministers that a pre-Christmas shopping rush could…
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11 NovemberAdvice
AI is the key to closing the expectations-reality gap in home delivery
Online spending was forecast to overtake high street sales this Christmas, even before the announcement of a second lockdown. But the pandemic hasn’t transformed the way we shop, it has merely accelerated the rise of e-commerce. That’s because, when executed properly, it’s a very satisfying way to shop for a…
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10 NovemberComment
The retail supply chain trends unlocked in lockdown
Following conversations and first-hand experiences working with high street and ecommerce retailers, we commissioned research of 200 senior retail professionals to further determine how COVID-19 disruption has impacted stock management and retail supply chains. The research revealed that coronavirus has resulted in four out of five (82%) retailers changing their…
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10 NovemberShopping Centres
Landsec posts £835m loss
Real estate firm Landsec, which owns the Bluewater shopping centre and a number of other retail destinations, has reported a loss before tax of £835m for the six month period ending 30 September. It comes after the firm said the impact on its results from unpaid rent and service charges…
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10 NovemberLuxury Goods
Former Godiva CEO acquires Artisan du Chocolat
Artisan du Chocolat has announced the sale of a majority stake to Mohamed Elsarky, the former president and CEO of Godiva. Elsarky was responsible for the expansion of Godiva as a “luxury prestige retailer” of Belgian chocolates, and seeks to do the same for Artisan du Chocolat’s brand. He will…
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9 NovemberAdvice
How retailers can change the way they make decisions
How often have we heard of the demise of a retailer being linked to poor decision-making? For a long time (at least pre-pandemic), an inability to combat the rise of ecommerce was often positioned as the reason for many retailers’ struggles. Just look at Blockbuster – we’ve all heard how…
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9 NovemberCoronavirus
Pfizer reveals Covid-19 vaccine candidate is 90% effective
A successful Covid-19 vaccine is a step closer after Pfizer/Biontech revealed its vaccine candidate is 90% effective, according to its first interim analysis. The findings, which are well above the 50% effectiveness for a vaccine to be approved, comes following a clinical trial which involved over 43,000 people. Some 42%…
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9 NovemberDepartment Stores
Harrods forced to reorganise £200m credit
Harrods has been forced to reorganise its £200m credit line due to the second national lockdown causing the closure of its flagship Knightsbridge store. According to The Sunday Times, the department store negotiated a revolving credit facility with the Qatar National Bank in August, to avoid breaching covenants it made…
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5 NovemberCoronavirus
Bank of England unveils £150bn covid support package
The Bank of England (BoE) has unveiled it will give the UK economy a further £150bn in crisis support and keep interest rates at a record low, due to the rapid rise in Covid-19 restrictions across the country. At the Banks latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), members stated that the…
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