Retail news

• Amazon says it will begin reopening warehouses in France

  15-05-2020 23:31 via ft.com
  Agreement reached with unions after legal battle over coronavirus protections for workers
  
  Read more

• US industrial and retail activity plunges in April

  15-05-2020 19:03 via ft.com
  Record declines show the scale of economic disruption from lockdowns and soaring unemployment
  
  Read more

• Plunge in US industrial and retail activity in April laid bare

  15-05-2020 19:03 via ft.com
  Record declines show the scale of economic disruption from lockdowns and soaring unemployment
  
  Read more

• Marks & Spencer joins growing list of UK firms deemed 'junk' investments

  15-05-2020 17:17 via theguardian.com
  
  Venerable retailer among 24 firms downgraded by S&P during coronavirus crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe number of “fallen angels” – formerly creditworthy companies now deemed a risky prospect for lenders – could hit a record this year, with Marks & Spencer the latest UK firm to be given the unwanted “junk” status.The credit rating agency S&P has stripped 24 companies of investment grade status so far in 20
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Retail Gazette Loves: Aldi’s partnership with Mental Health UK to support workers

  15-05-2020 17:09 via retailgazette.co.uk
  As the coronavirus crisis continues and Mental Health Awareness Week approaches, Aldi has joined forces with charity Mental Health UK to help support its 33,000 staff across the UK who have worked through the pandemic.
  The two-year partnership will help staff and their families look after their wellbeing by changing their perception of and breaking down stigma around mental health, and giving them the confidence to have open conversations about mental wellness.
  “It has never been more impo
  
  Read more

• VF Corp expects Q1 sales to halve

  15-05-2020 17:04 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // VF Corp books 2% full-year sales uptick but expects Q1 sales to halve
  // In Q4, sales plummeted 11%
  // VF Corp has started to re-open stores across the globe and expects all to reopen by mid-2020VF Corp has reported a slight increase in full-year sales but warned of a potential halving of its first quarter revenue as countries slowly start to ease their Covid-19 lockdowns.
  For the year ending March 28, the parent company of The North Face and Vans saw full-year revenue increase by two per cen
  
  Read more

• Nike warns lockdown store closures will hurt Q4 sales

  15-05-2020 16:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Nike warns of fourth-quarter hit from coronavirus virus-related store closures around the world
  // Strong online demand was partly offsetting declines in its owned stores and wholesale channelNike has issued a warning that store closures as a result of lockdown orders across the globe will hurt its retail and wholesales businesses in the fourth quarter.
  The news comes even as it ramps up its ecommerce capabilities to address increased online orders amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
  The sportsw
  
  Read more

• US retail sales suffer record plunge in April

  15-05-2020 15:46 via ft.com
  Sales fall 16.4% from March as lockdowns and job losses throttled consumer spending
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• John Lewis Partnership donates £1.4m to charities & launches new NHS mugs

  15-05-2020 13:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis Partnership donates additional £1.4m to local charities to assist communities during Covid-19 pandemic
  // It also designs mug to raise funds in aid of NHS Charities Together
  // This brings the total amount of support given by the partnership to local communities to over £2.7mJohn Lewis Partnership has announced that it will donate a further £1.4 million to around 3000 local charities who are helping those most in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
  This brings t
  
  Read more

• Coronavirus leaves 18% dent in sales for Richemont’s final quarter

  15-05-2020 13:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Richemont’s full-year sales inch up 2% but net profit plunges 67%
  // In the final quarter, its sales fell 18% due to the coronavirus pandemicRichemont has posted a mixed bag in its full-year results, with sales inching up by two per cent despite a 67 per cent plunge in net profit.
  The Swiss luxury company, which owns retailers Cartier, Alfred Dunhill and the Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, saw sales come in €14.2 billion (£12.4 billion) for the year to March 31, while net profit fel
  
  Read more

• Domino’s Pizza slams Amazon-Deliveroo tie-up citing “serious concerns” over competition

  15-05-2020 13:12 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Deliveroo’s £400 million cash injection from Amazon has been slammed by Domino’s Pizza, stating it has “serious concerns” about its impact on competition.
  Last month the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gave provisional approval for Amazon’s investment in the delivery giant after it said it would go bust without the cash it needs from the online retail giant.However, the pizza chain has strongly criticised the CMA’s decision in a 33-page submissio
  
  Read more

• Uncertainty surrounding Magento 1: Shopware publishes migration white paper

  15-05-2020 13:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Many online retailers, whose shop is based on the ecommerce platform Magento, are currently unsettled. The reason for is that Magento will be discontinuing its Magento 1 support as of July 2020.
  Given the uncertainty associated with this, many retailers are now faced with a tough decision of whether to go down the complex and expensive route of migrating to Magento 2 or to switch to an alternative eCommerce solution directly. Shopware published a white paper that shines a light fully on the unce
  
  Read more

• Farfetch quarterly revenue soars 90% thanks to lockdown

  15-05-2020 12:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Farfetch revenue soars 90% as amid huge shift to online spending during lockdown worldwide
  // It also booked a narrower loss of $77.7m (£62.7m) in the first quarter, compared with a $79.2m last year
  // Farfetch’s sales came in at $331m (£267m), better than forecasts of $313mFarfetch has reaped the benefits of being an online-only retailer amid a huge shift to online shopping during lockdowns worldwide, with quarterly sales sky rocketing 90 per cent and a narrower-than-expect
  
  Read more

• Lidl customers can now collect and return online orders with InPost lockers

  15-05-2020 11:48 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Lidl customers will now be able to collect and return online orders from a host of retailers amid a new partnership with InPost.
  InPost digital lockers will be rolled out to 24 Lidl stores across London, Birmingham and Manchester allowing users to collect parcels ordered online while they carry out their weekly grocery shop.
  The lockers can be chosen as a delivery location for online orders for a range of retailers including JD Sports, Boohoo and Holland & Barrett, and also enable customers
  
  Read more

• Debenhams Bullring store could be saved as staff put back on furlough

  15-05-2020 10:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Debenhams store in Birmingham’s Bullring may remain open as the retailer tries to reach an agreement with landlords
  // The store was earmarked for permanent closure last weekDebenhams’ Bullring store in Birmingham could be saved from shutting down permanently just a week after the closure was announced, as the retailer seeks an agreement with landlords.
  The 206,990sq ft store in Bullring was one of five latest locations which were due to close permanently as part of Debenhams&rsqu
  
  Read more

• French Connection turns down bid from All Saints CEO

  15-05-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // French Connection had rejected a bid from former All Saints CEO Stephen Craig in January
  // The retailer made the decision not to recommend the offer to the shareholders at a board meetingFrench Connection rejected a bid from the former All Saints and USC chief executive Stephen Craig in partnership with two private equity firms back in January.
  The bid was initially placed on December 19 to acquire the shares in French Connection at 41.4p per share – a premium of 18 per cent
  
  Read more

• Savile Row tailors seek rent cuts as Covid-19 takes its toll

  15-05-2020 09:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Savile Row tailors call for rent cuts amid Covid-19 pandemic
  // The call comes after concerns were raised over their economic difficultiesSavile Row tailors have reportedly called on their landlords for rent cuts, as the Covid-19 pandemic takes its toll on West End traders.
  A number of the world famous tailors are seeking to slash rents or introduce greater flexibility on payments as concerns grow over their economic difficulties, Property Week reported.
  Savile Row Bespoke Association chairma
  
  Read more

• Boohoo eyes new acquisitions after raising £200m

  15-05-2020 08:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Boohoo completes £200m fundraising
  // The retailer is currently eyeing struggling high street retailersBoohoo has completed its £200 million fundraising in less than 24 hours as it considers further acquisitions of high street retailers that have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
  The online retailer revealed its intention to acquire new brands less than 24 hours after launching the fundraising to tap shareholders.
  Boohoo launched the fundraising round yesterday, just three wee
  
  Read more

• Poundland reveals the 36 stores due to reopen next week

  15-05-2020 08:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Poundland will reopen 36 of its stores from Monday
  // The discount chain closed one in nine stores in MarchPoundland has announced it will reopen 36 of its stores that have been closed throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
  The discount retailer said it will resume trading from these stores from Monday as part of the first phase of its plans to reopen all stores that have been “hibernating” since the lockdown.
  Poundland kept most of its branches open for essential shopping but close
  
  Read more

• Poundland reveals 36 stores due to reopen next week

  15-05-2020 08:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Poundland will reopen 36 of its stores from Monday
  // The discount chain kept most of branches open for essential open but closed 1/9 stores for lockdownPoundland has announced it will reopen 36 of its stores that have been closed throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
  The discount retailer said it would resume trading from these stores from Monday as part of the first phase of its plans to reopen all stores that have been “hibernating” since the lockdown.
  While Poundland kept most
  
  Read more

• Waitrose relaunches Essential Waitrose range

  15-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Waitrose is relaunching its Essential Waitrose range this month and introducing more than 200 new and improved products. First launched in 2009, the range will also... View Article
  
  Read more

• Sainsbury’s expands Chop Chop cycle delivery service to outside of London

  15-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Sainsbury’s is rolling out its Chop Chop bicycle delivery service to 20 cities across the country as it extends the scheme to outside of London for... View Article
  
  Read more

• Marks & Spencer confirms early start date for new clothing and home MD

  15-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has confirmed that its new managing director for clothing and home will join the business on the earlier than expected date of 6... View Article
  
  Read more

• Boohoo raises nearly £200 million through share placing

  15-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Online fashion retailer Boohoo has raised £197.7 million through a share placing. In a statement, the company said it will use the proceeds to take advantage... View Article
  
  Read more

Follow @retailuknws on Twitter!