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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Jan- 2022 -19 JanuaryCoronavirus
WH Smith sales remain below pre-Covid levels
WH Smith has announced that its revenue remains below pre-pandemic levels for the 20 week period ending 15 January 2022, with the total group revenues at 85% of 2019 levels for the same period. In travel UK, revenues came in 70% of 2019 levels for the 20 week period, with…
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18 JanuaryNews
Employment continues to rise
The UK shows ‘continuing’ recovery in the labour market, with employment continuing to rise, according to the ONS latest Labour Force Survey estimates for September to November 2021. It revealed in December 2021 there were 29.5 million employees in the UK, up 184,000 on the revised November 2021 level and…
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17 JanuaryFeatures
Customer service needs for the post-covid consumer
Nurturing customer service continues to be a primary focus of businesses. Even pre-covid, retailers naturally updated their offerings to out-perform competing brands – why the groundwork concerning competition within retailers is said to have entered into discussion as early as the 20th Century; ‘assessing the complexity of competition’, ‘distinguishing its…
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17 JanuarySupermarkets
Lidl reports strong festive season trading
Lidl GB was the fastest growing bricks and mortar retailer for the second year running during the Christmas period, as sales at the discounter increased +2.6% YoY and +21% on a two-year basis. The discounter also achieved record footfall levels in the week leading up to Christmas, with footfall up…
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17 JanuarySupermarkets
Aldi reaffirms promise to spend £3.5bn with British businesses by 2025
Aldi has reaffirmed its promise to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards its commitment to spend an additional £3.5bn a year with British businesses by the end of 2025. The supermarket has already invested an extra £1.6bn with British suppliers since the start of the pandemic as it continues…
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14 JanuaryEconomy
UK economy surpassed pre-Covid levels in November
Gross domestic product (GDP) has surpassed its pre-pandemic level for the first time as it grew by 0.9% in November 2021, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. In the latest release, output in consumer-facing services grew by 0.8%, mainly because of a 1.4% increase in retail…
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14 JanuaryNews
Peter Cowgill nets £21m after selling 10 million JD shares
Peter Cowgill, director of JD Sports, has taken £21m after selling 10 million company shares. The news comes after the retailer revealed it expects full-year profits of at least £875m following a successful black friday and Christmas period, which the firm accredited to the fiscal stimulus in the United States…
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13 JanuarySport & Leisure
Halfords golden quarter boosted by autocentres
Halfords has announced that total revenue rose by 13.9% on a two-year basis in the quarter ended 31 December 2021, as like-for-like retail sales rose by 5.6%, with a particularly strong performance in October and November. While sales dropped off in the latter part of the period in light of…
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13 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
Asos to move to main stock market amid sales boost
Asos has announced its intention to move to London Stock Exchange’s Main Market at the end of February 2022 after recording “robust” sales for the four months ended 31 December 2021. During the period, revenue grew 5% to £1.4bn, up from £1.36bn the previous year. As a result, the retailer…
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12 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
JD Sports raises profit forecast to £875m
JD Sports Fashion Plc has raised its pre-tax profits forecast to an average £875m for the full year to 29 January 2022, compared to the previous expectation of £810m, due to “sustained” consumer demand through the second half of the year. Additionally, total like-for-like revenues were more than 10% ahead…
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