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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Jul- 2020 -2 JulyCoronavirus
High street retailers ‘urgently’ need government recovery plan, says Usdaw
Shopworkers union Usdaw has urged the government to agree with employers and trade unions a recovery plan for the high street as “thousands of further job losses are announced”. The union said the scale of job losses across the retail industry is “accelerating” as the high street continues to struggle…
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1 JulyCoronavirus
Harrods to cut 700 jobs
Luxury department store Harrods is set to cut around 700 jobs as it attempts to weather the storm caused by the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Guardian, Harrods has told its staff that one in seven of its employees would be affected by jobs cut. The paper revealed that in…
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1 JulyDepartment Stores
John Lewis set to axe stores and jobs
Department store chain John Lewis is reportedly set to cut jobs in a bid to reduce its costs. In a memo first seen by the Evening Standard, chairman Sharon White told 80,000 employees that it was “highly unlikely” the group would reopen all of its John Lewis stores. In addition…
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1 JulyHigh Street
Harveys collapses into administration as Bensons saved
Furniture retailer Harveys has collapsed into administration after the retailer’s parent company, Blue Group, called in PwC to financially restructure the business. Bensons for Beds, which is also owned by Blue Group, has been saved from the same fate after it was acquired by Blue Group owner Alteri Investors in…
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Jun- 2020 -30 JuneClothing & Shoes
TM Lewin collapses into administration
TM Lewin has collapsed into administration following news that the retailer was eyeing up a pre-pack administration deal. According to the Mail Online, the group cited the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary closure of its stores in March as the main reasons behind the collapse. The move could result…
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30 JuneComment
What the fuel station of the future means for retailers
Cruising into a petrol station and filling up the tank is a staple of everyday life for drivers across the world. However, according to predictions from Nissan, this isn’t set to last. In fact, the leading car manufacturer is predicting that in the future, fuel stations as we know it…
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30 JuneEconomy
Revised ONS data reveals greater GDP drop in Q1 2020
The UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) in volume terms fell by 2.2% in Q1 2020, which has been revised downwards by 0.2 percentage points from the Office for National Statisitic’s (ONS) first quarterly estimate. The ONS said it is the largest fall in UK GDP since Q3 1979, when it…
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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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30 JuneCoronavirus
Reopening is ‘no magic bullet’ for retail, says BRC
Reopening is “no magic bullet” for retail, the British Retail Consortium has warned despite UK footfall improving since lockdown restrictions were lifted earlier this month. The BRC’s footfall tracker found that UK footfall decreased 53.4% year-on-year during the second week of reopening in England and NI. This is compared to…
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29 JuneCoronavirus
H&M half-year sales slump amid Covid-19 pandemic
Fashion retailer H&M has reported a 23% decrease in net sales to SEK 83,612bn (£7.2bn) for the half-year period ended 31 May 2020. The group said it was “significantly negatively affected” by the Covid-19 situation, with pre-tax losses amounting to SEK 3,063bn (£265m) during the H1 period. H&Ms net sales…
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