Retail news

• Philip Green asks for taxpayer support to prop up Arcadia

  02-04-2020 20:34
  
  Billionaire asks government to pay 14,500 employees out of emergency wage schemeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe billionaire retailer Philip Green is asking for taxpayer help to prop up his crumbling fashion empire with 14,500 employees set to be paid out of the government’s emergency wage support scheme.Like other fashion retailers, Arcadia, which owns brands including Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge, is facing financial turmoil as the lock
  
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• Online price of cough medicine soars by 11% since UK lockdown

  02-04-2020 18:56
  
  ONS report on cost of high-demand items adds to pressure on retailers over price hikesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe price of cough and cold medicines bought online has jumped by almost 11% after an increase in demand during the coronavirus outbreak.The Office for National Statistics said the cost of over-the-counter cough and cold treatments had increased by 10.7% between 16 and 29 March.Income subsidies Continue reading...
  
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• Germany lifts coronavirus ban on seasonal workers

  02-04-2020 18:04 via ft.com
  U-turn comes after agricultural lobby criticises move and retailers warn of food shortages
  
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• Coronavirus: When will retail return to normal?

  02-04-2020 18:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  The UK retail sector had already faced an uncertain economic future due to Brexit and changing consumer habits, but it’s no secret by now that the Covid-19 pandemic further spiralled the industry into a whirlwind of unprecedented uncertainty.
  So far, retailers have had to contend with temporarily closing their stores in affected areas around the globe, accommodating sick or worried staff, and dealing with supply chain disruptions. The closure of their stores also means most retailers will
  
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• Instacart strike: hey, gig spender 

  02-04-2020 18:00 via ft.com
  Start-up must fix fractious relationship with its workers to capitalise on demand surge
  
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• UK pharmacists facing abuse and violence during lockdown

  02-04-2020 17:25
  
  Police patrols deployed to some outlets with one customer threatening to kill staffCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFrontline workers in pharmacists are being subjected to a wave of abuse ranging from violent attacks to verbal intimidation such as being told: “I hope you get coronavirus.”Police patrols have been deployed to some outlets as deterrents amid mounting day-to-day tensions, scuffles in queues outside premises, which are limiting the number
  
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• H&M to pay suppliers for incoming orders, but new orders paused

  02-04-2020 17:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // H&M to pay suppliers in full for orders fulfilled, but halts new orders
  // H&M also reportedly said it would pay for the goods ordered under the original terms agreedH&M has reportedly told suppliers they will receive payment for the orders they have already fulfilled or started, but like most other fashion retailers it will pause all new orders.
  The news comes amid an increasing number of fashion retailers globally that are starting to cancel or delay payments for orders of garme
  
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• Fenwick chair & CEO both step down

  02-04-2020 16:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Fenwick chair Richard Pennycook & CEO Robbie Feather both stepping down
  // Changes come as the Fenwick family come closer to running the business
  // John Edgar, a former Harrods & Selfridges exec, is the new CEO; Steve Barber is interim chairFenwick has undergone a boardroom shake up that has led to both the chairman and chief executive resigning from the department store retailer.
  Chief executive Robbie Feather and non-executive chairman Richard Pennycock have stepped down from the b
  
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• Morrisons shop floor staff’s annual bonus tripled to £1050

  02-04-2020 14:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Morrisons thanks staff with threefold increase in bonus for next 12 months
  // Full time employees will earn a bonus of £1050 compared to around £350 average last year
  // The bonus is the largest for UK grocery staff working through the coronavirus pandemicMorrisons is set to increase this year’s annual bonus payout threefold from last year as a way to thank staff who are helping to feed the nation during the coronavirus crisis.
  The Big 4 grocer said all frontline staff worki
  
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• Aldi further eases product restrictions in store

  02-04-2020 13:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Rationing has been lifted on beers, wines and spirits as well as nappies in Aldi stores
  // Aldi has also extended its immediate payments to suppliers to non-merchandise suppliersAldi has announced it will further ease product restrictions in store as grocers nationwide show signs of improvements in meeting soaring demand during the coronavirus crisis.
  The German discount grocer said that was also reviewing the small number of remaining purchase restrictions on certain products, after removing
  
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• Pets at Home sales benefit from surge in demand

  02-04-2020 13:41 via ft.com
  Essential retailer says coronavirus uncertainty means it will not give guidance for year ahead
  
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• Sainsbury's revives bicycle deliveries in central London

  02-04-2020 13:40
  
  Chop Chop service repurposes closed Blackfriars store to assist customers in lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSainsbury’s is using bicycles to transport essential groceries from a closed convenience store in London in an effort to bolster its delivery service during the coronavirus outbreak.The supermarket is relaunching its one-hour bicycle delivery service, Chop Chop, from its Blackfriars store in central London, which was one of 12 small local ou
  
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• The Hut Group pledges £10m Covid-19 aid

  02-04-2020 13:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // The Hut Group pledges £10m of Covid-19 aid to Manchester and other markets
  // The package will support vulnerable communities, key workers and emergency services
  // Of the total package, £5m will be donated to Manchester, & £5m will be donated elsewhereThe Hut Group has announced a £10 million aid package to support vulnerable communities, key workers and emergency services during the Covid-19 crisis.
  Of that total, £5 million is directly for the Manchester a
  
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• Coronavirus: Intu cracks down on late rent payments

  02-04-2020 12:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Intu to take “robust action” where rent and service charge payments aren’t paid
  // Landsec creates a support fund to provide up to £80m of rent relief for customers who need it the mostProperty giant Intu is prepared to take further actions with tenants who don’t pay the rent and service charges they owe.
  Property Week reported that the company sent a letter to tenants saying that it would “take robust action where rent and service charge payments, contract
  
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• Coronavirus: JD Williams cancels spring orders with suppliers

  02-04-2020 11:28 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // JD Williams cancels spring 2020 orders with suppliers amid Covid-19 pandemic
  // It is working closely with suppliers to navigate amid the pandemicFashion retailer JD Williams has cancelled spring 2020 orders with some of its suppliers as the coronavirus crisis continues to affect the retail sector.
  An N Brown spokeswoman told Drapers the retailer’s priority was ensuring it can serve customers while protecting the wellbeing of its employees amid the pandemic.READ MORE:Laura Ashley admini
  
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• Ocado sees “sharp deterioration” in customer satisfaction ratings as it struggles under pressure

  02-04-2020 11:22 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Ocado has seen it customer feedback ratings strongly decline during the coronavirus crisis as unprecedented demand leads to delayed deliveries and product substitutions.
  According to new research from ratings giant Jefferies, which analysed nearly 2000 Trustpilot reviews throughout March, Ocado’s customer feedback scores “sharply deteriorated”.Meanwhile larger multichannel grocers including Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Iceland have all seen their average start ratings increase in
  
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• Coronavirus: Next head office and three warehouses up for sale

  02-04-2020 11:10 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Next seeking buyers for HQ and 3 warehouses
  // The retailer is aiming to raise up to £100m to combat effects of coronavirusNext is reportedly seeking buyers for its headquarters and three warehouses in a bid to raise up to £100 million to combat the temporary closures of its stores and website – prompted by the coronavirus outbreak.
  The British retailer appointed property agent Savills to search for a buyer for its head office in Leicester, and property agent Acre to oversee
  
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• Coronavirus: Next head office & three warehouses up for sale

  02-04-2020 11:10 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Next seeking buyers for HQ and 3 warehouses
  // The retailer is aiming to raise up to £100m to combat effects of coronavirusNext is reportedly seeking buyers for its headquarters and three warehouses in a bid to raise up to £100 million to combat the temporary closures of its stores and website prompted by the coronavirus crisis.
  The fashion retailer appointed property agent Savills to search for a buyer for its head office in Leicester, and property agent Acre to oversee the dispo
  
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• Dreams directors exit due to coronavirus crisis

  02-04-2020 10:10 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Dreams directors to exit on Friday
  // CMO Tony Holdway and retail director Paul Owen will leave their roles
  // The news reflects the ongoing changes in the retail sectorDreams will see two of its directors leave on Friday partly due to the coronavirus outbreak, slimming down the board from seven people to five.
  Chief marketing officer Tony Holdway and retail director Paul Owen will step down, reflecting ongoing changes in the retail industry, such as the shift to digital prompted by the pande
  
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• COMMENT: Maintaining & building customer loyalty in the time of corona

  02-04-2020 10:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  The unfolding Covid-19 crisis presents the greatest challenge in recent history for retailers across the globe. Widespread closures, mass isolation and the effects of panic buying are impacting businesses across all sectors to an unprecedented degree. As they respond to rapidly changing circumstances, they shouldn’t lose sight of what is important to their clients and where they can make a real and genuine difference.
  Brilliant retailers don’t do something to be seen to be doing it.
  
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• 1875 jobs affected as The Perfume Shop shuts online operations

  02-04-2020 09:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // The Perfume Shop closes website amid the coronavirus pandemic
  // On March 22, it closed all 231 stores
  // Affected staff will be supported by AS Watson’s workforce financial packageThe Perfume Shop has become the latest retailer to shut its online operations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  The fragrance retailer’s parent company AS Watson, had already closed its 231 shops on March 22, ahead of the government’s order to close all non-essential services.
  As many as 1875
  
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• Coronavirus: Frasers Group to cut exec team salary to £40k

  02-04-2020 09:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Frasers Group to cut exec team salary from May
  // Annual salaries will be cut to only £40,000
  // Warehouse staff, including those on zero hours contracts, would get their full salaries for this monthMike Ashley has informed the executive team of Frasers Group that they will have their annual salaries cut to only £40,000 after April.
  The billionaire chief executive has pledged to pay staff for the next month, after informing them on Tuesday that it had guaranteed salaries for staff
  
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• Pets at Home “not immune to Covid-19 challenges,” CEO says

  02-04-2020 08:52 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Pets at Home traded in line with expectations for the full-year thanks to increased demand
  // The demand was prompted by the coronavirus outbreak
  // Underlying pre-tax profit was slightly ahead of expectationsPets at Home has said the group traded in line with expectations as the Covid-19 outbreak led to increased demand for the full year.
  For the year ended March 26, the pets goods retailer said its underlying pre-tax profit was slightly ahead of expectations, and the group traded in line wi
  
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• Crisis stockpiling: software for online crowd control

  02-04-2020 05:00 via ft.com
  As customers pile on to supermarket websites, Queue-it’s system is helping some cope with the explosion in traffic
  
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• Six in 10 UK firms have no more than three months of cash left

  02-04-2020 01:01
  
  British Chambers of Commerce poll reveals scale of companies at risk of collapse amid coronavirus lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBusiness leaders have warned that British companies are running out of time to stay afloat amid the coronavirus outbreak, after a survey showed a majority of firms had just three months of cash or less in reserve.The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said companies across the country were suffering from a sharp and significan
  
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• Tesco to provide £30 million coronavirus community support package

  02-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tesco is to offer a £30 million package of support to local communities throughout the Covid-19 crisis. This will include a £25 million food donations programme.... View Article
  
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• Pets at Home full year profit to be ahead of expectations

  02-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Pets at Home has said it anticipates that its full year underlying pre-tax profit will be slightly ahead of expectations following strong trading at the start... View Article
  
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• New Look appoints new non-executive director

  02-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Fashion retailer New Look has announced that Stuart MacKenzie has become a non-executive director of the business. He has replaced John Gnodde who stepped down from... View Article
  
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• Domino’s appoints interim chief financial officer

  02-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Domino’s Pizza Group has appointed Neil Smith as its interim chief financial officer. Due to take up his new role on 15 April, Smith held the... View Article
  
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• Aldi to donate almost half a million easter eggs to local charities

  02-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi is donating almost half a million surplus easter eggs to charities across the UK. Until 11 April, the supermarket will be giving up to 50... View Article
  
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