Retail news

• Southern Europe loads up its digital shopping baskets

  20-03-2020 23:00 via ft.com
  Web-shy consumers get crash course in online groceries amid virus lockdowns
  
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• Top Shop owner Arcadia shuts all stores until further notice

  20-03-2020 21:28 via ft.com
  Philip Green’s Arcadia follows fellow retailers in temporarily closing all stores because of pandemic
  
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• Supermarkets raid restaurants to restock shelves

  20-03-2020 19:34 via ft.com
  As dining out is banned, grocers look to alternative supply chains to help fill shortages
  
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• Coronavirus: What are the UK’s grocers doing to help customers & staff?

  20-03-2020 19:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The UK’s biggest supermarkets are taking measures to help shoppers during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable, and even NHS health workers on the frontline.
  As thousands of customers stockpiled on products in a panic-buying frenzy, many were left facing empty shelves at the supermarkets during their food shop.
  Grocers are also starting to reveal measures and support packages to assist staff during these times of uncertainty.
  Here’s everything we know
  
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• Coronavirus shutdown ravages high street as retailers take emergency action

  20-03-2020 18:29
  
  M&S warns of store closures and joins Primark in cancelling orders as Debenhams seeks time to pay billsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe coronavirus shutdown is laying waste to the high street, with Marks & Spencer warning of store closures, as Primark told suppliers that it was cancelling orders and Debenhams sought extra time to settle its bills.On Friday, M&S axed its dividend to preserve cash because its clothing arm faced being “severely
  
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• Coronavirus: Affected Superdrug, Perfume Shop staff to be paid in full

  20-03-2020 18:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // AS Watson announces £40m support package for Superdrug, Savers & The Perfume Shop staff affected by coronavirus
  // Includes full pay for parents unable to work remotely and for anyone unable to work due to sickness or self-isolation
  // AS Watson will also honour all pay increases and bonuses that are due in March & AprilAS Watson has announced an employee support package of £40 million to help Superdrug, Savers and The Perfume Shop staff battle through the coronavirus pand
  
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• Travis Perkins puts Wickes demerger on hold

  20-03-2020 18:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Travis Perkins pauses Wickes demerger amid “extreme stock market volatility” from coronavirus crisis
  // It re-iterated its commitment to make Wickes a standalone listed retailer but would do so when things are clearerTravis Perkins’ planned demerger of Wickes has been paused due to the “extreme stock market volatility” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
  In a stock market announcement today, the company not only confirmed it would put the demerger of its home and
  
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• 5 Jack Wills stores shut down as “unprecedented uncertainty” bites

  20-03-2020 17:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Frasers Group to close five Jack Wills stores immediately
  // Affected stores are in Dublin, Exeter, Cambridge, Bath and Manchester Trafford Centre
  // Frasers Group was negotiating with landlords to keep them open but “unprecedented uncertainty” meant the closures are “inevitable”Frasers Group has announced that it will permanently shut down another five Jack Wills stores with immediate effect as the “unprecedented uncertainty”.
  The Jack Wills stores se
  
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• CMA sets up taskforce to crackdown on pandemic profiteers

  20-03-2020 17:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // CMA sets up a taskforce to target coronavirus pandemic profiteers
  // Follows widespread concerns that rogue traders are seeking to rip off the public by charging excessive prices
  // CMA has already contacted retailers over excessive pricing of hand sanitiser as part of its effortsThe UK’s peak competition authority has set up a taskforce to crack down on businesses seeking to exploit and the escalating coronavirus crisis.
  The CMA said the pandemic has prompted concerns that people could
  
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• Hotel Chocolat to provide 50% discount for NHS workers

  20-03-2020 16:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Hotel Chocolat offers NHS workers a 50% discount as a “thank you” for their work during coronavirus pandemic
  // Stores might be turned into delivery operation pointsHotel Chocolat is offering every NHS worker a 50 per cent discount on its products in store, as a “thank you” for their work during the coronavirus outbreak.
  The chocolate retailer follows similar moves from Pret, McDonald’s and hotel chains, which are offering discounts, free drinks and accommodation
  
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• 9000 new workers needed at Aldi as part of coronavirus response

  20-03-2020 15:54 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Aldi launches hunt for 9000 new workers and increases charity support
  // It is the biggest recruitment drive from a UK grocer yet
  // Lidl & Asda both announced their own hunt for workers today, but together they’re offering 7500 jobsAldi has launched possibly the biggest recruitment drive among all of the UK’s grocers as part of the sector’s efforts to meet the surge in demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
  The discount German grocer said it has 9000 jobs on offer
  
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• Casino to sell most Leader Price stores in France to Aldi

  20-03-2020 15:30 via ft.com
  More asset sales potentially ahead as group’s heavily indebted parent is under court protection
  
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• New UK taskforce to crack down on coronavirus profiteers

  20-03-2020 14:59
  
  Competition watchdog to act against traders raising prices on essential goods such as hand sanitiser and toilet rollThe competition watchdog is setting up a coronavirus taskforce to crack down on companies that cash in during the outbreak by bumping up prices or exploiting people’s fears with misleading claims about products.The Competition & Markets Authority said it had already contacted traders and online trading platforms about excessive pricing of hand sanitiser, sales of which ha
  
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• Lidl & Asda the latest to undergo recruitment drives amid coronavirus crisis

  20-03-2020 14:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Asda seeks 5000 new staff to help cope with demand as a result of the coronavirus crisis
  // Lidl seeks 2500 new shop floor staff, and like other grocers they are targetting people whose jobs have been affected by the pandemic
  // Follows similar moves from the likes of Morrisons, the Co-op, Tesco, Iceland and WaitroseLidl and Asda have become the latest grocers to announce major recruitment drives to help cope with the surge in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  Asda said it was working t
  
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• Lidl & Asda the latest to undergo recruitment drive amid coronavirus crisis

  20-03-2020 14:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Asda seeks 5000 new staff to help cope with demand as a result of the coronavirus crisis
  // Lidl seeks 2500 new shop floor staff, and like other grocers they are targetting people whose jobs have been affected by the pandemic
  // Follows similar moves from the likes of Morrisons, the Co-op, Tesco, Iceland and WaitroseLidl and Asda have become the latest grocers to announce major recruitment drives to help cope with the surge in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  Asda said it was working t
  
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• Coronavirus: Hotel Chocolat launches 20m fundraising round

  20-03-2020 14:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Hotel Chocolat launches 20m fundraising round to offset store closures due to Covid-19
  // Mother’s Day& Easter account for around 12% of the retailers total annual revenue
  Hotel Chocolat has launched a £20m fundraising round to offset the effects of any possible store closures as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
  The retailer warned it could be forced to shutter some or all of its stores and that the fundraising round was launched to bolster its balance sheet with the crucia
  
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• Marks & Spencer cancels £100m worth of clothing orders

  20-03-2020 14:07
  
  Retailer also considers temporary store closures on the back of coronavirus crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMarks & Spencer is cancelling £100m worth of clothing orders and preparing for temporary store closures as the coronavirus continues to hammer high street businesses.The retailer has axed its dividend to preserve cash on the basis its clothing arm will be “severely impacted” over the coming months as Britons are forced to stop s
  
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• Key workers: share your coronavirus experiences

  20-03-2020 14:06
  
  We would like to hear from those supermarket workers, delivery drivers and others working on the frontline Are you on the official list of of UK personnel who can still send children to school? If so, we would like to hear from you.If you’re a health worker please get in touch here, or a teacher here. Continue reading...
  
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• UK's organic vegetable delivery firms 'flat out' amid coronavirus crisis

  20-03-2020 14:03
  
  Companies such as Abel & Cole and Riverford struggling to cope with sharp rise in ordersCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOrganic vegetable box delivery companies are seeing unprecedented demand for their food as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, putting huge strains on their packing lines.Abel & Cole, which puts out 55,000 food boxes a week on average, has seen a more than 25% increase in orders, with its packing teams working at full capacity to cope
  
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• M&S scraps dividend and warns of prolonged disruption

  20-03-2020 13:47 via ft.com
  UK retailer says profit could fall below £440m to £460m range expected by analysts
  
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• Shore Capital doesn’t mince its words

  20-03-2020 13:40 via ftalphaville.ft.com
  By not using any.
  
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• Coronavirus interrupts Prada’s strong growth

  20-03-2020 13:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Covid-19 halts Prada Group’s progress in 2020
  // Net Sales rose by 2.7% to £2.9bn for full year 2019Italian luxury fashion house Prada Group warns the coronavirus outbreak has “interrupted” its growth much, like many other fashion retailers.
  Net revenues for the group, including both Prada and Miu Miu, rose by 2.7 per cent to £2.9bn for full year 2019.
  “2019 has been a year of strong progress. The combination of investment and operational initiatives implem
  
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• Coronavirus interrupts Prada Group’s strong growth

  20-03-2020 13:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Covid-19 halts Prada Group’s progress in 2020
  // Net Sales rose by 2.7% to £2.9bn for full year 2019The Italian luxury fashion house Prada Group warns the coronavirus outbreak has “interrupted” its growth much like many other luxury brands.
  Net revenues for the group, including both Prada and Miu Miu, rose by 2.7 per cent to £2.9bn for full year 2019.
  “2019 has been a year of strong progress. The combination of investment and operational initiatives impleme
  
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• Coronavirus: New financing facility to support retail cash flow

  20-03-2020 13:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // HM Treasury will launch Covid Corporate Financing Facility to support business cash flow
  // The facility is separate to the £330bn package of government guarantees announced by the ChancellorHM Treasury and the Bank of England have confirmed they will launch the Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) to support retailers experiencing disruption in their cash flows due to the coronavirus outbreak.
  The CCFF will be introduced from March 23, and it is separate to the £330 billion
  
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• GameStop ignores retail lockdown orders claiming it is classed as “essential”

  20-03-2020 10:43 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  GamsSpot has ignored country-wide orders to close down all non-essential retail stores arguing that its products were able to enhance “customers’ experience working from home”.
  The US videogame retailer told staff in a memo yesterday that “we believe GameStop is classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time”, according to Kotaku.
  This comes as US law enforcers have instructed all non-essential retail stores to shut down in
  
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• Coronavirus: ScS mulls store closures

  20-03-2020 10:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // ScS profit increased 0.3% to £71.7m in the 26 weeks to January 25
  // Gross sales rose 0.5% to £160.1m
  // The furniture retailer said it is considering temporarily closing stores amid the coronavirus outbreakScS has seen an increase in its half-year profit and gross sales, despite consumer confidence being at its lowest thanks to the coronavirus outbreak.
  In the 26 weeks to January 25, the furniture retailer reported a 0.3 per cent increase in profit to £71.7 million.
  Gr
  
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• M&S freezes all pay rises and suspends non-essential spending

  20-03-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // M&S says profit would be on lower end of expecations as coronavirus crisis continues to bite the retail sector
  // Profit would now likely be at the lower end of its expectations, even with massive spending cuts
  // All pay rises have been frozen, non-essential spending suspended, marketing budget cut, and non-essential recruitment suspendedMarks & Spencer has frozen all pay rises and suspended all non-essential spending as it warned that its clothing & home lines would take a hit f
  
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• Marks & Spencer considers temporary store closures

  20-03-2020 09:41
  
  Sales plummet for pub chain JD Wetherspoon on back of coronavirus crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMarks & Spencer is planning for potential temporary store closures and the pub chain owner JD Wetherspoon warned that sales are plummeting as the coronavirus continues to hammer high street businesses.M&S said it is seeing “substantial declines” in its clothing and home business as shoppers stay at home, and it is redeploying a “signi
  
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• Coronavirus: Government will waive competition laws to keep nation fed

  20-03-2020 09:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Supermarkets will now work together to keep shelves stocked, shops open & delivery vans running
  // The government will relax competition laws from next week
  // Ministers have relaxed rules around drivers’ hours so retailers can deliver more food to storesUK grocers have been given the green light to work together to keep shelves stocked, shops open and delivery vans running as the coronavirus outbreak worsens.
  The government has said it will relax competition laws from next week to
  
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• Coronavirus: Frasers Group the latest to seek rent holiday amid profit warning

  20-03-2020 08:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Frasers Group issues profit warning as footfall drops due to the coronavirus outbreak
  // Frasers Group & Arcadia joined retailers including H&M, New Look, Superdry & Debenhams in asking landlords for rent holidays
  // Frasers Group also asked for the suspension of service charges at shopping centres and retail parksFrasers Group has warned that its business could face “significant disruption” due to the coronavirus crisis.
  The group, which is owned by retail tycoon Mike
  
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• Coronavirus: Frasers Group issues profit warning

  20-03-2020 08:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Frasers Group issues profit warning as footfall drops due to the coronavirus outbreak
  // Frasers Group and Arcadia joined retailers including H&M, New Look, Superdry and Debenhams in asking landlords for rent holidays
  // Frasers Group also asked for the suspension of service charges at shopping centres and retail parksFrasers Group has warned that its business could face “significant disruption” due to the coronavirus outbreak.
  The group, which is owned by retail tycoon Mike A
  
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• M&S extends rationing in stores amid coronavirus outbreak

  20-03-2020 08:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // M&S extended its temporary purchase restrictions of 2 items per person across grocery items
  // M&S also increased its in-store “suitable for home freezing” signs
  // Elderly shoppers will get early access to stores from Friday morningMarks & Spencer has extended its temporary purchase restrictions of two items per person across its grocery division in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.
  The news comes after the retailer rationed its hand sanitisers and antibacterial
  
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• UK food supply starts to show strain from coronavirus

  20-03-2020 01:00 via ft.com
  Surge in demand prompts manufacturers and distributors to find ways to increase supply
  
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• UK food suppliers battle to fill the empty shelves

  20-03-2020 01:00 via ft.com
  Surge in demand from coronavirus prompts manufacturers and distributors to increase stock
  
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• Marks & Spencer warns on profit

  20-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has warned that trading over the next nine to 12 months in its clothing and home and international businesses is likely to be... View Article
  
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• John Lewis Partnership announces new coronavirus related measures

  20-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The John Lewis Partnership has announced a raft of new measures to support customers through the coronavirus crisis. These will include its Waitrose supermarket offering the... View Article
  
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• IKEA to temporarily close all UK stores

  20-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  IKEA has joined a growing list of retailers who have taken the decision to temporarily close their stores due to the coronavirus outbreak. The retailer will... View Article
  
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• Four key considerations to implement a new payment system smoothly

  20-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Guest post By David Allan, Director of Customer Operations, Ingenico Enterprise Retail It’s now a cliché to say that payment options have evolved enormously over the... View Article
  
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• Co-op to fast track recruitment of 5,000 new store workers

  20-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Co-op is to create 5,000 temporary in-store roles for hospitality workers who have lost their jobs. The convenience retailer has simplified its recruitment procedures to enable... View Article
  
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• Aldi to recruit for 9,000 new roles

  20-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi is to hire 9,000 new workers for roles in its stores and distribution centres as it looks to increase its workforce due to the coronavirus... View Article
  
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