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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Jun- 2021 -2 JuneCoronavirus Featured Content
Two-thirds of retailers face legal action in july over rents, warns BRC
Two-thirds of retailers have been told by landlords that they will be subject to legal measures from July, once the moratorium on aggressive debt enforcement ends, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Research conducted by the group shows that 30% of retailers have already faced County Court Judgements (CCJs)…
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1 JuneSupply Chain
Kraft Heinz to invest £140m in Kitt Green
The Kraft Heinz Company has revealed plans to invest £140m in Kitt Green, the Wigan food manufacturing facility. Some 50 full-time jobs are set to be created by the proposed investment, which is subject to final US regulatory approvals later this year. The US-based food company claimed that the funding…
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May- 2021 -28 MayClothing & Shoes
JD Group chairman banks £6m in bonuses despite 75% pay cut
The executive chairman of JD Group, Peter Cowgill, was reportedly handed nearly £6m in “special bonuses” over the course of 18 months despite the company accepting more than £100m in government support. During the course of the pandemic, the group received £86.1m in furlough payments for staff and roughly £38m…
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28 MayHigh Street
Retail NI welcomes top up grants
Retail NI has welcomed the commencement of the issuing of £72.3m in top up grants to Northern Irish businesses that remained open during the most recent restrictions. Over 13,000 trading businesses were unable to receive the most recent financial support, but their “trade and footfall” was still impacted as a…
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27 MayHigh Street
Usdaw workers petition set for parliamentary debate
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) has revealed that its petition to protect retail staff from violence, threats and abuse has accelerated and been timetabled for a parliamentary debate on Monday 7 June 2021. Launched by the unions general secretary Paddy Lillis, the petition attracted 104,000 signatures…
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26 MayAnalysis
Mind the gap: plugging the physical disconnect in a digital-first retail era
It is no exaggeration to say that the past 12 months have turned the retail environment on its head. As consumers slowly start to rise above the parapet and lockdown restrictions ease, retailers are having to overcome the physical disconnect between themselves and their customers. With retail moving almost entirely…
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26 MaySupermarkets
Supermarket visits rise by 58 million amid vaccine rollout
UK shoppers made 58 million more visits to the supermarket in the most recent four weeks than they did in May 2020, according to the latest take-home grocery figures from Kantar. As the vaccine rollout continues, it noted that consumers are getting more confident returning to stores. The greatest acceleration…
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26 MaySupermarkets
M&S to close sites amid £201m loss
Marks and Spencer has swung to a statutory £201m loss in its financial results for the year ended 3 April 2021, down from a profit of £67m a year before, which it primarily attributed to lockdowns and tiered pandemic restrictions over the period. This represents a 31.5% drop in total…
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25 MayDepartment Stores
Wilko FY21 sales plummet £107m to £1.36bn
Wilkinson Hardware Stores (Wilko) saw its total sales drop 7.3% and £107.2m year-on-year from £1.47bn in FY20 to £1.36bn in FY21. Despite the fall in total sales, the homewares and household goods retailer’s EBITDA held steady for the 12 months ended 30 January 2021, declining from £48.5m to £48.3m. The…
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25 MayHigh Street
Mothercare sales plunge 40% in FY21
Mothercare has revealed that sales in its unaudited full-year results are set to plunge 40% to £326m, reflecting the impact of the pandemic on the global markets in which its franchisees operate. The group said the impact of Covid-19 has “varied enormously” by market as countries have addressed the pandemic…
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