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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Oct- 2021 -19 OctoberLuxury Goods
Welsh brand Au Vodka tops list of UK’s fastest growing online companies
A world-leading Retail Operating System has curated a list of the 50 fastest growing e-commerce brands of the ‘pandemic era’, with Swansea-based luxury alcohol brand, Au Vodka, coming out on top. The list, titled the Lightning 50, tracked growth across brands to rank the UK’s 50 fastest growing e-commerce companies…
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19 OctoberLuxury Goods
Au Vodka reveals gold standard for success after being crowned Winner in Brightpearl’s Lightning 50
Key facts Lightning 50 Overall Winner, plus Regional Winner in Wales and Winner in the Luxury Sector 10,000% YoY growth £5 million expected revenue in 2021 “We’re thrilled to have won not one but three titles in the Lightning 50” – Jordan Major, Head of e-Commerce, Au Vodka Endorsed by…
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18 OctoberComment
Checkoutless Stores: The Future of Retail
Retailers have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. In 2020, total retail sales fell by 1.9% compared to 2019. Now that consumers are returning to stores, retailers must look to welcome them in new ways. Consumers now want a fast, easy, and convenient shopping experience. On average, a person spends…
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18 OctoberDepartment Stores
The Weston Family in talks with QIA over £4bn Selfridges sale
Selfridges owners, the Weston Family, are reportedly in talks with the Qatar Investment Authority over a potential £4bn sale of the department store chain. The Mail On Sunday has reported that sources close to negotiations said that the sovereign wealth fund has moved to the front of the queue for…
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15 OctoberHigh Street
Boots owner sees Q4 sales surge 12% to $34bn
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), the owner of Boots, has seen its sales for the Q4 period ending 31 August 2021 increase 12.8% to $34.3bn (£25bn). The UK high street brand itself saw comparable pharmacy sales increase 11.4% compared with the year-ago quarter, which it said reflected “stronger demand” for pharmacy…
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13 OctoberClothing & Shoes
Shoe Zone revenues fall to £119m in FY21
Shoe Zone has announced that group revenue dropped slightly to £119.1m in the full-year ending 2 October 2021, down from £122.6m in 2020 and £162m in 2019. This decline was largely attributed to the effects of the pandemic, which saw its store estate closed for 16 weeks in the first…
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13 OctoberHigh Street
Holland & Barrett to close stores on Boxing Day
Holland and Barrett is the latest store to announce plans to close all its stores in the UK and Ireland on Saturday, 25 December and Sunday, 26 December 2021, as a “thank you to colleagues for their efforts during the pandemic”. It follows in the footsteps of Morrisons, Marks and…
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12 OctoberHigh Street
John Lewis sees online sales surge to 70% of total sales
John Lewis has revealed it has seen a surge in online sales amid the Covid-19 pandemic with consumers changing the way they shop with online sales accounting for between 60% to 70% of the retailer’s total sales, up from 40% before the pandemic. The report, Shop, Live, Look 202, which…
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12 OctoberHigh Street
French Connection CEO to retire as H1 losses narrow
French Connection has revealed that its chairman and chief executive Stephen Marks will retire from the company following its completion of the £29m buyout deal. It comes as the group saw its losses narrow for the six-month period ending 31 July 2021 to £900,000 from £12.2m the previous year. During…
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12 OctoberSupermarkets
Tesco to appoint 30,000 Christmas workers
Tesco has announced it will recruit 30,000 temporary workers during the festive period. The grocer said half of those roles have been filled by temporary colleagues who joined Tesco during the pandemic and have had their contracts extended to cover Christmas. The UK-wide roles, in Tesco’s Superstores and Extra stores,…
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