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- 2022 -12 AugustHigh Street
Superdrug and Savers to provide 25,000 UK jobs
A.S. Watson Group, the owner of Superdrug and Savers, has announced its commitment to create 200,000 job opportunities for 16-23 year olds globally, and of which 25,000 jobs will be provided across both retailers in the UK by 2030. The group will equip the young starters with “essential” skills to…
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11 AugustGovernment
Rishi Sunak commits to reducing business rates if elected PM
Rishi Sunak has vowed to slash business rates this autumn during the Conservative leadership debate at the Darlington Hippodrome theatre. The former chancellor committed to extending the current 50% reduction in his first budget as prime minister, saying that small retailers are the “beating hearts of all our communities”. Sunak…
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11 AugustEconomy
Retail leaders call on police to prioritise retail crime
Some 106 of the UK’s leading retail voices have reportedly written to Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales, calling on them to commit to “making retail crime a priority” in local policing strategies. The letters are said to express the retailers’ increasing concerns about the rising levels of…
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10 AugustAnalysis
JD Sports and the Footasylum merger saga – what went wrong?
Following JD Sports’ acquisition of Footasylum for £91.1m in March 2019, The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), a non-ministerial government department responsible for strengthening business competition and reducing anti-competitive activities, announced it had launched an investigation into the deal on 24 July 2019, citing that it would examine whether the…
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10 AugustAdvice
Purple’s keys to success in a crucial moment for retail
There’s retail life, but it will not be as we know it With the survey data to hand, Purple has published a New White Paper, entitled: Retail. Not Dead, Just Different. The results provide evidence of a viable heartbeat in physical stores, but also underpin Purple’s contention that retail has…
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9 AugustAnalysis
How luxury brands are turning to young consumers to boost sales
Despite the cost-of-living crisis having a firm grip on consumers, it seems that luxury brands are finding ways to retain and attract young customers through refreshing their campaigns, diversifying their offering and leaning into sustainable initiatives. Hugo Boss kicked off 2022 with “social-first” campaigns, for example, that made use of…
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9 AugustEconomy
Sharon White: Gov needs to get over 50s back into work to curb inflation
The boss of John Lewis has said the large number of over 50s who left the workforce during the pandemic is helping to fuel the current high levels of inflation across the UK. Speaking to the BBC, Dame Sharon White said that the government must “think really hard” about how…
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5 AugustPeople Moves
Tapestry COO to step down
Tapestry, a leading New York-based house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands has announced the retirement of Tom Glaser, the company’s chief operations officer (COO). He will remain with the company until 1 October, and Scott Roe, who has been chief financial officer (CFO) since June 2021, will take…
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5 AugustHigh Street
Pets at Home Q1 revenues hit £404.7m amid ‘record’ VIP numbers
Pets at Home has reported that group revenues rose 7.1% year-on-year to £404.7m in the 16 week period from 1 April to 21 July 2022 (Q1 FY23), as the number of active VIPs increased 10.7% to a “record” 7.4m, 27% of which were shopping across more than one channel. Vet…
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4 AugustEconomy
Zalando to return to growth in H2 despite Q2 profit fall
Zalando, the online fashion retailer, has revealed it expects to return to growth in H2 despite seeing a 58% drop in its Q2 operating profits to €77.4m (£64.7m), down from €184.1m (£153.3m) in the same period last year. However, the Q2 performance marks a rebound from a Q1 loss of…
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