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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May- 2020 -6 MayClothing & Shoes
CMA blocks JD Sport merger
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced its decision to block JD Sports’ purchase of Footasylum after finding it would “leave shoppers worse off”. Following an in-depth investigation, the regulator concluded that this transaction would lead to a “substantial lessening” of competition, which would in turn leave shoppers with…
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5 MayAdvice
Supermarket Peep: a glimpse at UK shopping behaviours in the now
As we sit in our make-shift offices, attempting to keep a work-life balance and ponder where we will go on our permitted once daily exercise, it’s hard to walk past the local parade of shops or high street and not wonder when or even if normality will ever be the…
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5 MayHigh Street
Government launches £6.1m fund to help high streets through pandemic
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are set to receive a £6.1m funding boost to help high streets and town centres through the Covid-19 pandemic. According to high streets minister Simon Clarke, hundreds of local business partnerships across England will share the fund to spend on projects that will help their local…
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5 MayClothing & Shoes
J.Crew files for bankruptcy protection
J.Crew has become the first major US retailer to officially file for bankruptcy protection amid the global lockdown. As per the terms of the new filing agreement, the fashion retailer’s main creditors will take control of the group in exchange for cancelling debts of $1.65bn (£1.3bn), converting them into equity.…
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5 MayPeople Moves
JD Sports blocks director appointment at Boohoo
Sportswear giant JD has reportedly blocked non-executive director Kath Smith from joining online fashion retailer Boohoo in the same role. The online fashion group announced the appointment of Smith last month, effective from 1 May. Boohoo’s group CEO Mahmud Kamani had said: “Her commercial insight will be a great asset…
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4 MayCoronavirus
Homebase reopens UK sites amid Covid-19 pandemic
DIY retailer Homebase has reopened all of its UK stores amid the Covid-19 crisis. Despite being classed as an essential retailer, last month the retailer temporarily closed its stores and started operating online with Homebase saying the safety of its customers and team was its “first priority.” In a statement…
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1 MayBusiness Bites
Are we beginning to re-open anyway?
The PM says he will soon announce the reopening plan after weeks of compulsory lockdown for the UKs public and its businesses. Boris Johnson is under pressure to come up with the blueprint for restarting the economy as the list of suffering firms grows larger and more and more redundancies…
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1 MayCoronavirus
Iceland boss hits back at HMRC over minimum wage probe
The boss of Iceland has hit back at HMRC for “harassing” the business in regards to a previous minimum wage tax dispute amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. According to the Times, Sir Malcom Walker, who founded the businesses over 50 years ago, said in a letter that HMRC should be…
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1 MayCoronavirus
Intu appoints to chief restructuring officer to ‘fix’ balance sheets
Shopping centre owner Intu has announced the appointment of David Hargrave as chief restructuring officer to “fix” its balance sheet amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Hargrave has 33 years of experience in the transaction business of ‘Big four’ accounting firms, where he held senior positions at PwC, from 1987 to 200…
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1 MayCoronavirus
Amazon: Sales surge while spending rises
Amazon has revealed that sales rocketed 26% to $75.5bn (£60.1bn) in the first quarter of the year, with a possibility of rising 28% in the next quarter. Despite the boom in sales, net income still fell 29% to $2.5bn (£1.9bn) in the period following increased spending, with shipping costs alone…
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