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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May- 2021 -13 MayHigh Street
Retail sales up by 7.3% in April after reopening
Retail sales increased substantially between 4 April and 1 May 2021, around the time non-essential retail was allowed to reopen, compared to April 2019, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG’s survey of retailers in the UK. Due to 2020 being a “turbulent time” for the sector, BRC…
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13 MayOnline & Digital
Online sales in April ‘impressive’ despite high street reopening
Online retail sales have continued to grow in April, rising 10.2% year-on-year, despite the reopening of the high street and against strong figures for April 2020. According to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, which tracks the online sales performance of over 200 retailers, there was still some evidence…
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12 MayAdvice
How to benefit from the forthcoming massive wave of ad spend
The recent IPA Bellwether on marketing budgets in the UK has revealed that 2020 saw a fast paced decrease in spend as the effects of the pandemic naturally hit home. Now, as we continue to emerge from the worst of the effects, their forecasts are that there will be a…
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12 MayPeople Moves
Retail businesses started in 2020 to create 5,500 jobs
Retail businesses started in 2020 are set to create thousands of jobs in the coming years, as one-in-four retail business owners plan to hire one or more employees, according to new research by The Accountancy Partnership. It found that a quarter of commerce entrepreneurs who started a business during the…
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12 MayHigh Street
Young shoppers main drivers of high street footfall, data finds
Millenials are the primary drivers of high street footfall in the UK since non-essential retail stores in England reopened on 12 April, according to new data from global payments platform Adyen. Over a third (34%) of young people surveyed by the service said that they missed physical stores while they…
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11 MaySupermarkets
Aldi supports fishing industry with new seasonal range
Aldi has announced it will be launching a new range of seasonal fish from Thursday 13 May 2021 in a bid to support the British fishing industry. The range features species mostly fished on the south coast of Britain that would normally have been sold to restaurants across the UK…
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11 MaySupermarkets
Pret to trial stores inside Tesco supermarkets
Pret a Manger is reportedly set to trial opening stores located inside Tesco supermarkets in a bid to attract a new type of customer to its offering. According to The Times, the cafe chain will open its first in-store site at the Tesco Superstore in Kensington in June, with another…
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11 MaySupermarkets
Morrisons predicts stronger profits amid sales surge
Morrison’s has predicted that net debt for the year will be no higher than pre-pandemic levels and that profit before tax will grow to more than the £431m the group achieved last year had the group not waived its right to £230m business rates relief. The news follows the supermarket’s…
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11 MayHigh Street
Hotel Chocolat reports Easter revenue boost
Hotel Chocolat has reported a year-on-year revenue increase of 60% over the eight weeks to 25 April, attributed to the rise to the Easter holiday and Mothers Day celebrations. The revenue surge was reported despite its stores being closed for six weeks of the period due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.…
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11 MayClothing & Shoes
Joules raises full-year guidance amid ‘encouraging’ trading
Joules has announced it has raised both its revenue and pre-tax profit guidance after being “encouraged” by recent momentum across its retail channels. In its latest update for the 11 months to 2 May 2021, the group said it has continued to deliver a “positive performance” across its retail channels…
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