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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Jun- 2020 -22 JuneHigh Street
Mothercare seeks new lenders amid franchising plans
Mothercare has confirmed it remains “on track” to become a “profitable” international franchise operation, with plans to operate in around 40 international territories. In its latest update, the retailer confirmed that discussions are ongoing with existing franchise partners in efforts to “establish a more sustainable and less capital-intensive business” going…
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19 JuneTips
How the coronavirus lockdown affected Brits’ social shopping
The recent lockdown due to the global pandemic had Brits converge to social platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Google Shopping, to satisfy their “urge to shop.” This is not the first time that the UK economy noticed a spike in social shopping. In 2013, social shopping was up at…
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19 JuneAdvice
How e-commerce can maintain business continuity in the face of Covid-19
Covid-19 and the government stay-at-home and shutdown orders have wreaked havoc on the retail industry. Footfall was down 44.7% in March. High street stores without ecommerce operations saw sales collapse. Primark, for instance, saw its monthly sales of £650m a month evaporate. And whilst ecommerce retailers have the advantage of…
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19 JuneAdvice
How email can save the high street
According to IMRG, online sales in the UK grew by just 6.7% in 2019. The current pandemic, though, helped online retail sales soar to ten year high. A recent press release by IMRG reports growth to a “staggering +23.8% Year-on-Year (YoY) in April 2020, as high streets across the country…
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19 JuneAdvice
Retailers must ensure the mental health of their workforce is a top priority
According to the World Health Organisation, in recent years depression has crept up the ladder to become the most common cause of ill health & disability worldwide. In the UK, at any time, one in six adults reports themselves as suffering from depression or anxiety or phobia or OCD, (that…
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19 JuneClothing & Shoes
92% of shopworkers oppose longer Sunday working hours, says Usdaw
Some 92% of retail staff in England have opposed large shops opening for more than six hours on a Sunday, as the government considers deregulating Sunday trading. According to a survey by shopworkers trade union Usdaw, 66% of the 11,000 retail staff said they feel they are pressured to work…
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19 JuneCoronavirus
Retail sales bounce back in May, says ONS
The volume of retail sales volumes “partly rebounded” in May, according to the latest statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Sales volumes saw an increase of 12% when compared with the “record falls” experienced the previous month, but sales were still down by 13.1% on February, before the…
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18 JuneEconomy
UK inflation hits four-year low
The UK’s inflation rate dropped to 0.5% in May, down from 0.8% in April, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). According to the ONS, falling prices for motor fuels and a variety of recreational and cultural goods resulted in the largest downward contributions to inflation…
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18 JuneComment
Temperature checking employees – don’t get your fingers burnt in an employment tribunal
As lockdown eases, retailers are looking closely at sensible practical measures that they can implement to help minimise the risk of Covid-19 spreading within workplaces. Many lessons have been learnt from the experiences of essential retailers who have either stayed open throughout the pandemic, or who have now reopened their…
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18 JuneClothing & Shoes
Allsaints launches CVA proposal
Clothing retailer Allsaints has revealed the launch of a CVA proposal that aims to restructure both its UK and US store portfolio and move to a turnover-based rent structure due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Allsaints said the move comes despite year-on-year revenue growth for five successive years.…
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