Retail news

• The Treasury should be wary of giving a bailout to Virgin Atlantic | Nils Pratley

  01-04-2020 20:04
  
  Airline’s owners need to dig deep into their own pockets before the state steps in to help
  You have to admire Sir Richard Branson’s tactics. A begging letter from an island-dwelling billionaire doesn’t gain sympathy. A co-ordinated lobbying campaign that involves Airbus, Heathrow airport and Rolls-Royce – all big employers in the UK – gets noticed at the Treasury.And, naturally, one can see why the trio want Virgin Atlantic to survive, whether by a government-backed
  
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• The Treasury should be wary of giving a bailout to Virgin Atlantic

  01-04-2020 20:04
  
  Airline’s owners need to dig deep into their own pockets before the state steps in to help
  You have to admire Sir Richard Branson’s tactics. A begging letter from an island-dwelling billionaire doesn’t gain sympathy. A co-ordinated lobbying campaign that involves Airbus, Heathrow airport and Rolls-Royce – all big employers in the UK – gets noticed at the Treasury.And, naturally, one can see why the trio want Virgin Atlantic to survive, whether by a government backed
  
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• US jobs picture darkens as large employers lay off staff

  01-04-2020 19:56
  Companies that hoped to keep paying employees have bowed to the reality of a longer shutdown 
  
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• US jobs picture darkens as large employers axe staff

  01-04-2020 19:56
  Companies that hoped to keep paying employees have bowed to the reality of a longer shutdown 
  
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• Germany’s biggest department store chain files for creditor protection

  01-04-2020 19:52
  Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof so far fails to tap emergency liquidity lines
  
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• Next HQ and three warehouses up for sale in virus-mitigation plan

  01-04-2020 19:31
  
  Retailer says disposal and leaseback of properties could potentially raise up to £100mCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNext is seeking buyers for its headquarters and three warehouses as it tries to raise tens of millions of pounds after the temporary closures of its stores and website.After the closures last week, the company appointed Savills, the property agent, to find a buyer for its head office in Leicester, and another agent, Acre, to oversee the dis
  
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• Unions welcome increases in statutory minimum wage rates

  01-04-2020 18:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Statutory rate for over-25s will go up from £8.21 per hour to £8.72 from today
  // It also increases from £7.70 to £8.20 for 21 to 24-year-olds, and £6.15 to £6.45 for 18 to 20-year-olds
  // For under-18s, it increased from £4.35 to £4.55, £3.90 to £4.15 per hour for apprenticesUnions have welcomed increases in the statutory minimum wage rates which take effect from today, saying the country is indebted to “minimum wage heroes&rd
  
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• Taylor Swift donates to Nashville record store hit by coronavirus

  01-04-2020 17:54
  
  Pop singer has given cash to shop in her home city after Elton John and Paul Weller voiced support for independent record outletsTaylor Swift has made a financial contribution to a record store in her home city of Nashville that was in danger of going out of business because of coronavirus.Doyle Davis, co-owner of Grimey’s, told Rolling Stone that Swift had paid for three months of the staff’s health insurance plan, as well as making undisclosed cash donations. Related: Record Store
  
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• Ikea opens Croydon essentials store exclusively for vulnerable & NHS staff

  01-04-2020 17:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Ikea opens Croydon store for vulnerable customers & key workers to access essential food items
  // It will stock usual items found in its Swedish Food Market, as well as staple items including bread & milk
  // Other members of the public will not be admitted, and the rest of the store will remain closedIkea has opened its Croydon store’s Swedish Food Market exclusively for vulnerable customers and key workers to allow them access to essential food items during the coronavirus pand
  
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• Sales of board games and jigsaws soar during coronavirus lockdown

  01-04-2020 15:51
  
  UK families turn to Monopoly, Cluedo and more, with Lego’s Technic sets also popularCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSales of boardgames and jigsaw puzzles soared 240% during the first official week of coronavirus lockdown in the UK as families turn to traditional pursuits to while away the hours stuck at home.Monopoly Classic was the best selling game with Cluedo, Scrabble and card games Uno and Dobble also in the top ten, according to market research firm
  
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• 7 best practices for selling on marketplaces

  01-04-2020 15:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  To sell more online, you must have a marketplace presence. Of course, you already know this.
  What you may not be aware of is the immense array of opportunities that can be leveraged to dominate these and dozens of other marketplaces. From pricing to advertising, the mountain of steps to master gets higher every month. If you don’t climb them, your competitors will.
  Bottom line: The days of just listing on modern marketplaces are long gone. There are advertising campaigns to manage, buy box
  
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• Morrisons wins appeal over data breach

  01-04-2020 14:54
  Separately, Supreme Court rules Barclays not legally responsible for alleged sexual assaults 
  
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• Morrisons not liable for massive staff data leak, court rules

  01-04-2020 14:53
  
  UK supreme court says retailer not to blame for actions of employee with grudgeThe UK’s highest court has ruled that Morrisons should not be held liable for the criminal act of an employee with a grudge who leaked the payroll data of about 100,000 members of staff.The supermarket group brought a supreme court challenge in an attempt to overturn previous judgments which gave the go-ahead for compensation claims by thousands of employees whose personal details were posted on the internet. Co
  
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• M&S Food shop floor staff given 15% pay rise; confirms full pay for furloughed staff

  01-04-2020 14:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // M&S gives staff 15% additional pay reward for working on the frontline in food stores
  // M&S also confirms furloughed staff will receive full pay
  // Separately, it temporarily added branded items to maintain “strong availability” during pandemicMarks & Spencer has announced a 15 per cent pay rise for shop floor staff working on the frontline in its food stores, and confirmed that furloughed staff will receive full pay.
  The retailer said that staff across its stores and
  
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• Big Issue to be sold in stores for first time after street sales paused

  01-04-2020 14:20
  
  Magazine will be sold in McColl’s and Sainsbury’s outlets to raise money for homeless vendorsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe Big Issue is to go on sale in supermarkets for the first time in an effort to make money for vendors left without income during the coronavirus outbreak.The magazine, normally sold on the street by homeless people, is to be sold in selected Sainsbury’s and McColl’s stores after sales were paused on 22 March to p
  
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• Coronavirus: Moody’s reviews Next for downgrade

  01-04-2020 13:31 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Moody’s places Next’s credit rating from a “stable” status to “under review”
  // Next’s rating is on review to downgrade to Baa3 from Baa2
  // Moody’s acknowledged Next’s track record of stable profits, strong cash generation & balanced financial policiesCredit rating agency Moody’s has placed Next on review for downgrade amid concerns over how long stores will remain closed and whether consumer demand will recover once the lockdow
  
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• Tesco unveils £30m coronavirus community support scheme

  01-04-2020 13:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco launches £30m coronavirus community support package for the next 3 months
  // Includes £15m worth of food donations to be made to FareShare and the Trussell Trust
  // Tesco is also donating £1m to assist charities’ operations, plus £2m to the British Red CrossTesco is the latest retailer to step up its support for vulnerable communities during the coronavirus crisis with multi-million pound pledge for charities on the frontline.
  The Big 4 giant unveiled a &po
  
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• Amazon under investigation by New York City’s human rights commission after sacking strike organiser

  01-04-2020 12:53 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon is being investigated by New York City’s commission on human rights after it sacked a warehouse worker who led a strike in protest of coronavirus safety measures.
  Yesterday the online retail giant fired Chris Smalls who they said himself violated “social distancing guidelines”, after coming into work to lead the strike despite instructions from Amazon to quarantine after coming into close contact with someone confirmed to have the virus.Today, Amazon worker #ChrisSmalls
  
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• Morrisons ruled “not liable” for data leak exposing 100,000 employees payroll data in landmark case

  01-04-2020 12:15 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Morrisons is not “vicariously liable” for a data leak which exposed payroll data of 100,000 staff according to a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
  The Supreme Court ruled via livestream today that a previous decision that Morrisons must pay compensation to thousands of employees should be overturned.
  In 2014 lawyers for more than 9000 claimants brough legal action against Morrisons after payroll data, names, addresses and bank account details of 100,000 employees was leaked online and t
  
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• Capital & Regional collects half of shopping centre rent due

  01-04-2020 11:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Capital & Regional receives only half of the rent due from tenants in its shopping centres
  // The group is actively working with retailers to help them amid Covid-19Capital & Regional has received only half of the rent due from tenants in its shopping centres as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the retail sector.
  The typical collection rate for the quarter by this point would be at least 80 per cent.
  The company said its seven shopping centres in the UK are open for e
  
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• Asos warehouse “should stay open” if changes are made says union despite widespread calls for closure

  01-04-2020 11:14 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Asos’ Barnsley warehouse “should stay open” if changes are made according to the Community workers’ union despite widespread calls from staff and the public to close operations.
  Community, which has represented distribution workers at Asos Barnsley warehouse since 2017, told Retail Week that it supported the location staying open as long as changes “can be implemented and we’re satisfied they’re working”.
  These changes include staggered a
  
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• JD Sports withholds quarterly rent amid negotiations with landlords

  01-04-2020 10:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // JD Sports the latest retailer to not pay its quarterly rent amid coronavirus crisis
  // It also issued a warning that the crisis will have “significant impact” on its financial outlook
  // JD Sports is currently in discussions with landlords over the next rents due in JuneJD Sports has become the latest retailer to not pay its quarterly rent across its store estate amid warnings that the coronavirus crisis will have “significant impact” on its outlook.
  A spokesperson fr
  
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• Debenhams defers concession payments for 30 days

  01-04-2020 10:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Debenhams all historic concession balances for 30 days amid Covid-19 outbreak
  // The measure was taken in order to to mitigate the government-mandated shut down of its store estate
  In a bid to save the business amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic Debenhams is deferring all its concession balances for 30 days.
  As seen by Drapers, a letter was sent to suppliers from the department stores chief executive Stefaan Vansteenkiste ,stating that Debenhams was aware that the suppliers may have been e
  
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• Laura Ashley administration job cuts reduced to 268

  01-04-2020 10:10 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Laura Ashley to cut 268 jobs after initially announced it would make up to 721 redundancies last week
  // When it fell into administration last week, 721 workers were at risk, but most will now be furloughed
  // Laura Ashley continues to run online operations, in line with guidance over social distancingLaura Ashley is to cut 268 jobs after initially announced it would make up to 721 redundancies when the retailer slid into administration last week.
  Administrators for the lifestyle and fashion
  
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• Shop prices dip in March but fears coronavirus could push them up

  01-04-2020 09:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // UK shop prices fell 0.8% in March, accelerating from 0.6% deflation in February.
  // Overall food prices rose by 1.1%, a slowdown from 1.6% growth in February
  // Fresh food grew by 0.4%, down from 0.6% growth in February; ambient food grew 2% compared to 3% in FebruaryShoppers saw the price of goods fall further in March on the back of slowing food inflation, although experts have warned that the impact of coronavirus could push prices higher.
  The latest BRC-Nielsen Shop Price index for March
  
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• Uber Eats accelerates push into grocery deliveries

  01-04-2020 06:00
  Food delivery platform has struck deals with major global retailers including French supermarket Carrefour
  
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• Laura Ashley administrators to make 268 staff redundant

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Administrators for Laura Ashley have said they will be making 268 staff redundant across the fashion and homeware retailer’s head office and back office. The move... View Article
  
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• Laura Ashley administrators to make 268 of the retailer’s staff redundant

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Administrators for Laura Ashley have said they will be making 268 staff redundant across the fashion and homeware retailer’s head office and back office. The move... View Article
  
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• IKEA Croydon re-opens in-store food market for key workers, elderly and vulnerable customers

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  IKEA is re-opening its Croydon store’s Swedish Food Market as it looks to help elderly, vulnerable and key worker customers to buy food throughout the coronavirus... View Article
  
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• Guide: Is increasing online sales your goal?

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  If you represent a brand that sells products in online reseller channels you’re likely to have experienced lack of control. Do you always know if your products... View Article
  
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• Guide: Gain control of your online reseller channels

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  If you represent a brand that sells products in online reseller channels you’re likely to have experienced lack of control. Do you always know if your products... View Article
  
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• Ebook: Is increasing online sales your goal?

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  If you represent a brand that sells products in online reseller channels you’re likely to have experienced lack of control. Do you always know if your products... View Article
  
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• Chapel Down reports increase in online sales

  01-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  English wine maker Chapel Down has said its online sales have increased dramatically following the government’s decision to close pubs, theatres and hospitality venues due to... View Article
  
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• Whole Foods workers hold ‘sick-out’ to demand hazard pay during pandemic

  01-04-2020 00:19
  
  An organized employees group is calling for better health protections, including paid sick leave and benefits for part-timersWhole Foods workers organized a national “sick-out” protest on Tuesday, demanding that the grocery store give employees double their normal wages as “hazard pay” for working on the front lines during a pandemic.The Whole Foods protest follows worker-organized strikes for better coronavirus protections at Instacart, the grocery delivery service, and
  
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