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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Feb- 2022 -9 FebruaryHealth & Beauty
Very expands beauty and self-care ranges by 94%
The Very Group has expanded its range of beauty and self-care brands on Very.co.uk by 94% since the start of the pandemic, as the online retailer reportedly sees growing demand for wellbeing products. Since January 2020, Very has added 77 new beauty and personal care brands, taking the category total…
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8 FebruaryAdvice
Online customers value personalisation and speedy order fulfilment above all else
Research conducted by KPS – one of the UK’s leading e-commerce consulting partners using rapid methodology and best-of-breed, agile technology for digital transformation across all customer touch points- has identified the top challenges UK brands face in 2022. The company tracked the change in consumer behaviour brought about by the…
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8 FebruaryHigh Street
Consumer spending slows in January
Consumer card spending rose by only 7.4% in January compared to the same period in 2020, marking the smallest uplift since April 2021, as spending was dampened by ongoing Plan B restrictions, inflation, and rising energy costs. Data from Barclaycard found that spending on essential items grew by 10.4%, the…
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7 FebruaryFeatures
Rising from the ashes: How retailers can come back even stronger in 2022
If 2020 was the year of unprecedented events, then 2021 was the year of the aftermath. Even at the beginning of the year, when we hoped the worst of the pandemic was over, lockdown restrictions stopped many retailers and brands in their tracks. For those with a physical-only presence, the…
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7 FebruaryEconomy
Consumer confidence falls for second consecutive quarter
The Deloitte Consumer Tracker has revealed UK consumer confidence fell by one percentage point in Q4 2021 to -11%, the second consecutive quarter of decline. Deloitte said the result comes after consumers started to feel the “squeeze of inflation” and pockets were hit with higher household bills. Personal expenditure in…
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4 FebruaryNews
Mattress Online expands team with six new appointments
Mattress Online, the UK’s independent mattress retailer, has strengthened its team with six new hires as home working continues to drive retail trends. During the pandemic, the firm said it saw turnover leap to £37.5m fuelled by stay-at-home spending on DIY and homeware. The trend is expected to continue in…
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4 FebruaryHigh Street
West End footfall resurges as Plan B is scrapped
London’s West End has welcomed a “promising” boost to its footfall in the first full week following the end of Plan B restrictions. Weekend footfall reached the highest level since November 2021, hitting 79% of pre-pandemic levels. It was also up by 11% against the previous weekend as more consumers…
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3 FebruaryDIY
ScS reports strong winter trading as order book hits £148m
ScS, the upholstered furniture and flooring retailer, has hailed a period of strong winter trading which has also seen its order book double in size to £148m. For the 26 weeks ended 29 January 2022, it said the group “traded well” through the important winter sale period and order intake…
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2 FebruaryOnline & Digital
Amazon to create 1,500 UK apprenticeships in 2022
Amazon is set to create 1,500 new apprenticeship roles across the UK in 2022. The online giant will create 40 apprenticeship schemes that include areas such as publishing, retailing, marketing, environmental, social and corporate governance, engineering and health and safety. The schemes will also include more than 200 apprenticeships which…
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2 FebruarySupermarkets
Tesco to stop overnight stock replenishment
Tesco has announced that 1,500 roles are at risk of redundancy across the business following changes to its overnight roles. Tesco will move its overnight stock replenishment to daytime trading hours in 36 large stores and 49 convenience stores to ensure more colleagues are available on the shop floor to…
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