Productivity
This coverage explores productivity in the UK retail industry, focusing on workforce effectiveness, operational efficiency, process innovation, and cost control. Reporting provides insight into how retailers optimise resources and performance to remain competitive — supporting executives, managers, and professionals driving improvement initiatives.
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Sep- 2021 -7 SeptemberSupermarkets
Tesco calls for apprenticeship reform
A reform to the Apprenticeship Levy could lead to an additional 8,000 new apprenticeships across the retail sector every year, Tesco has said, with 500 apprenticeships created at Tesco alone. A new report for the group, produced by Public First, outlines the supermarket’s contribution at a national level and in…
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6 SeptemberSupply Chain
Labour shortages could continue for two-years, CBI warns
Labour supply problems could last for up to two years and will not be solved by the end of the Job Retention Scheme, the CBI’s director-general, Toby Danker has warned. The warning comes as the CBI’s director-general has set out priorities for both business and government to guard against labour…
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1 SeptemberAdvice
Accelerating retail transformation to drive growth
Retailers have faced a tough year. Stay-at-home orders and the resulting shift to online saw buyer behaviour altered. Consumers across the globe flocked online in numbers not forecast for a decade. McKinsey’s UK Consumer Sentiment research highlighted that 63 per cent of consumers tried new shopping behaviours in the past year,…
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Aug- 2021 -12 AugustEconomy
UK economy surges 4.8% in June
The UK economy grew by 4.8% in June as Covid-19 restrictions surrounding retail and leisure were eased across the UK, according to figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have grown for a fifth consecutive month in June 2021, by 1.0%,…
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11 AugustTechnology
Scotmid and Southern Co-ops commence ESL roll out
The Scotmid and Southern Co-ops have announced the introduction of SoluM electronic shelf labels (ESLs) in partnership with Cambridge-based technology integrator, Herbert Retail. Initial trials of the ESLs have seen increased store efficiency, improved pricing and product information compliance, reduced paper wastage, and an enhanced team morale. The technology enables…
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5 AugustComment
Future gazing last-mile delivery
In 2020, there was a significant increase in online shopping. According to an Ofcom report, customers across the UK spent over £110bn last year, a 48% increase from 2019. Whilst this is a relatively recent trend, it shows no signs of slowing down. Our survey found that 85% of online…
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Jul- 2021 -12 JulyComment
Getting email right for a successful Christmas season
Annual retail sales and profits skyrocket over the Christmas season, According to the National Retail Federation, Christmas sales can be 20-40% of a retailer’s annual sales. Given the stop-start nature of 2021, most UK retailers want to close out with the biggest revenues they can this year. During the pandemic,…
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Jun- 2021 -2 JuneComment
Online retailers are in danger of being overwhelmed by increased orders – Automation is the answer
Online retailers are facing a major crisis. Since Covid-19 hit, reduced headcount and social distancing practices within the walls of warehouses and distribution centres mean retail businesses are struggling to manage the stresses and strains of increased e-commerce demand – which is set to continue to soar. Recent research from…
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Apr- 2021 -16 AprilPeople Moves
Retail leaders join forces with retailTRUST to support workers’ wellbeing
Over 20 retail leaders and experts have joined forces with industry charity retailTRUST to champion the health and wellbeing of its workforce next month following the reopening of non-essential shops across the UK. Morrisons’s chief executive David Potts will be among those taking part in retailTRUST’s ‘Championing the health of…
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6 AprilAdvice
Offering a positive returns experience for retail consumers
Returns are a well-known pain point for retailers. Today returns are being exasperated by online purchases where vetting product quality is notoriously difficult. This means people are buying multiple items of similar descriptions to check the quality before returning those which aren’t up to scratch. Although this may seem like…
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