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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Aug- 2020 -11 AugustCoronavirus
Retail sales rise for second month in a row
Total sales increased by 3.2% in July, against an increase of 0.5% in July 2019, marking the second consecutive month of growth since the start of the pandemic. According to the latest BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor, UK retail sales increased by 4.3% in the month against the year prior, following…
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10 AugustHigh Street
Baird Group launches CVA proposal
Baird Group has launched a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) proposal in order to safeguard the “long-term future” of the group. The group, whose portfolio includes Ben Sherman and Suit Direct, worked with KPMG’s Restructuring practice to review “all options” available to address the challenges presented by the pandemic. As a…
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10 AugustHigh Street
WH Smith seeks rent cuts
WH Smith is reportedly seeking rent cuts from its landlords as it looks to cut costs. According to The Sunday Times, the retailer has drafted in advisers Gerald Eve to negotiate with landlords across its portfolio of over 1,000 UK stores located on the high street and at travel hubs. …
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10 AugustClothing & Shoes
Superdry secures funding as sales fall
Superdry has secured a new £70m lending facility in a bid to equip it with “flexibility and liquidity” following the coronavirus crisis. It comes as the disruption from the pandemic has continued to “materially impact” its year-on-year performance, despite the fact that trading was ahead of initial expectations in its…
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7 AugustTips
What Is Amazon Fresh and how will It affect UK supermarkets
Certain sectors of the online retail industry are currently experiencing rapid growth, particularly because of the convenience and safety that internet-based shopping offers in the time of a global pandemic. For example, food delivery businesses, which were already growing in popularity over the last few years, are now enjoying even…
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7 AugustCoronavirus
Naked Wine hails ‘strong’ sales performance
Naked Wines has announced it is continuing to “trade strongly” despite the crisis, with total July sales expected to be up by 73% against the prior year. This would bring its sales growth in the first four months of the financial year to 76%, overall. According to the retailer, this…
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6 AugustCoronavirus
McColls reports H1 sales rise as Covid drives demand
Convenience chain retailer McColls has reported an 8.3% increase in sales for the first half of the financial year after the company benefited from “stronger demand” for food and alcohol amid the Covid-19 pandemic. During the six months to 24 May, McColls reported a 1% decrease in total revenues to…
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6 AugustShopping Centres
Hammerson seeks £825m to ride pandemic
Shopping centre owner Hammerson has announced it plans to raise £825m through fundraising and disposals as it looks to survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement comes as Hammerson reported that net rental income dropped by 44% to £87.3m during the first half of the year. For the…
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6 AugustCoronavirus
July footfall bolstered by hospitality reopening
Footfall in retail destinations across the UK was down by 39.4% in July, according to the latest figures from Springboard. Nonetheless, this marked an improvement of nearly a fifth from June, with the month ending with the best result recorded since February. Footfall was reportedly boosted by the reopening of…
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6 AugustClothing & Shoes
Joules swings to £2m loss in full-year results
Joules has announced that it swung to a pre-tax loss of £2m in its full-year of trading, down from the £12.9m profit it reported the year prior. Group revenue also fell by 12.5% to £190.8m in the period, down from the £218m reported the year before. The retailer noted that…
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