Retail news

• Waterstones plans to put its books under a 72-hour quarantine

  18-05-2020 21:00
  
  Boss says books handled by customers will be removed to allow time for virus to dieCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWaterstones is preparing to put books into quarantine after they have been handled by browsing shoppers as part of plans to reopen its stores when allowed.The bookseller intends to ask shoppers to set aside any book they touch on trolleys which will be wheeled away into storage for at least 72 hours before being put back on shelves in an effort to p
  
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• Refunds rather than insults would serve Ryanair boss well | Nils Pratley

  18-05-2020 20:34
  
  Michael O’Leary’s rants won’t cut much ice with the EU or UK. A more constructive approach to coronavirus crisis probably willMichael O’Leary has always been willing to conduct more than one fight at a time, but the Ryanair chief executive, who seems in danger of exploding with fury every time he speaks at the moment, may be well-advised to calm down and deploy smarter tactics.For starters, his outrage over “state-aid dopers”, as he calls Lufthansa, Air France
  
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• US retail: how to spend it

  18-05-2020 19:28
  Investors should focus on how chains position their businesses post lockdown
  
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• Five robots that hope to save the US food supply chain

  18-05-2020 19:10
  Understaffed industry turns to automation as it struggles to feed millions under lockdown
  
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• Five robots that are saving the US food supply chain

  18-05-2020 19:10
  Understaffed industry turns to automation as it struggles to feed millions under lockdown
  
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• Marks & Spencer in row over £11.50-a-bottle hand sanitiser

  18-05-2020 18:22
  
  Shoppers and consumer group accuse store of exploiting coronavirus pandemic
  Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMarks & Spencer has been accused of exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic by selling bottles of hand sanitiser for twice as much as equivalents elsewhere.With demand for sanitiser surging during the lockdown as people have been encouraged to wash their hands regularly, the supermarket chain advertised 500ml bottles in stores for £11.50.The World Healt
  
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• Aldo exits Ireland after filing for bankruptcy protection

  18-05-2020 17:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Aldo winds down Irish business after stopping shipping orders and closing down its ecommerce arm in the country
  // The Irish operation consisted of 4 stores in Dublin, including 1 at Dundrum Town CentreAldo has reportedly exited Ireland after ceasing shipping orders and closing its ecommerce site in the country amid plans to wind down its Irish business.
  The news comes after the shoe retailer filed for creditor protection in Canada, the US and Switzerland.
  The Irish operation consisted of fou
  
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• “Cautious” Brits step out as footfall rises 3.3%

  18-05-2020 17:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Footfall rose merely during the week when lockdown was eased
  // The increase was due to an increased number of Brits leaving their homesFootfall increased by a mere 3.3 per cent in the first week since lockdown measures were slightly lifted, as Brits stepped out of their homes.
  Last week’s increase was the fourth in six weeks, but it was less than what was recorded on the week of the previous bank holiday, when footfall rose 11.7 per cent, according to Springboard.
  The research found th
  
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• CMA calls for new “emergency time-limited” laws to tackle price-gouging

  18-05-2020 16:38 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is lobbying for “emergency time-limited legislation” to tackle sellers profiteering from the coronavirus crisis.
  Price gouging has been an unfortunate bi-product of the nationwide lockdown and initial panic buying, with prices of items like face masks and hand sanitiser skyrocketing across numerous platforms.
  The CMA has struggled to effectively tackle the problem finding that the limited nature of competition law in the UK made it basicall
  
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• Central England Co-op records rise in harassment towards staff

  18-05-2020 16:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Central England Co-op reveals rise in violent offences and people threatening to cough and spit on colleagues
  // It branded these incidents as “totally unacceptable” and re-iterated its call for compassion and respect
  // There has been a jump in incidents of verbal abuse – from 11 per week to 24Central England Co-op has branded a rise in violent offences and people threatening to cough and spit in the faces of staff working through the coronavirus pandemic as “totally
  
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• Gymshark donates more than £180,000 for NHS charities

  18-05-2020 15:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Gymshark donates more than £180,000 to NHS charities for the coronavirus pandemic
  // Gym-goers now exercising at home uploaded a “sweaty selfie” to help Gymshark reach the targetGymshark has donated more than £180,000 for NHS charities which support women’s and children’s hospital services amid the coronavirus pandemic.
  The online sportswear retailer announced last month it would donate £5 each time someone exercising at home during lockdown posted a
  
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• Ted Baker appoints David Wolffe as permanent CFO

  18-05-2020 14:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // David Wolffe named as Ted Baker’s new CFO
  // He joined as interim CFO in January, and has now moved into the role on a permanent basis
  // News follows Ted Baker announcing new CEO and Chairman since the start of the yearTed Baker has announced the appointment of David Wolffe as its new chief financial officer.
  Wolffe first joined the fashion retailer at the end of January as interim chief financial officer, and will now move into the role on a permanent basis and with immediate effect.
  
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• Retailers face dividend ban as government revises coronavirus loan scheme

  18-05-2020 11:36 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Gov’t revises Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)
  // Retailers could be banned from paying dividends or buying back shares under new plansThe government has reportedly considered banning companies which receive state-backed loans of up to £200 million from paying dividends or buying back shares under new plans.
  Larger companies which access government-backed loans of up to £200m face a ban on paying dividends, Sky News reported.
  Ministers are current
  
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• Amazon refuses to commit Bezos to testify raising chance he could be subpoenaed

  18-05-2020 11:28 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon has refused to commit its chief executive Jeff Bezos to testify despite demands from the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.
  In early May the committee ordered Bezos to testify before them over allegations that the retailer may have misled and potentially even lied to congress.
  However, on Friday Amazon said in a blog post that it was “prepared to make the appropriate Amazon executive available”, failing to commit its chief executive.
  The statements in question,
  
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• UK shopping centre firm Intu seeks debt standstill as lockdown takes toll

  18-05-2020 11:22
  
  Trafford Centre and Lakeside operator battles to survive after slump in rent paymentsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIntu Properties, one of Britain’s biggest shopping centre operators, is seeking standstill agreements from its lenders as it battles for survival after a collapse in rent payments from retailers.The company, which owns Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Lakeside in Essex, said it was likely to breach its debt commitments at the end of Ju
  
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• Tesco addresses migrant worker abuse at Thai and Malaysian stores

  18-05-2020 10:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco finds evidence of slavery in Thailand and Malaysia
  // The grocer published the findings in its annual modern slavery statementTesco has found evidence of abuse against migrant employees at its distribution centres and stores located in Thailand and Malaysia.
  In its annual modern slavery statement, the Big 4 grocer listed allegations based on interviews with 168 migrant workers in Malaysia and 187 in Thailand.
  These included passport retention, unexplained and illegal wage reductions, he
  
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• Burberry to cut dividend payouts in the wake of coronavirus

  18-05-2020 10:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Burberry is looking to cut dividend payouts to 22.5p, down from 31.5p
  // The retailer is also in talks with shareholders over how it pays its executive managementBurberry is reportedly set to cut its dividends due to the coronavirus pandemic while also holding talks with shareholders over changes to its executive pay scheme.
  According to The Sunday Times, the luxury retailer’s final payout would be 22.5p, down from 31.5p and bringing an end a 10-year run of annual dividend growth.
  Last
  
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• Coronavirus: Intu seeking debt standstill with creditors

  18-05-2020 09:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Intu warns it is “likely” to breach its covenants next month
  // The Trafford Centre-owner is seeking standstill agreements with creditors to ride out the Covid-19 crisisIntu is seeking standstill-based agreements with creditors as it struggles with the Covid-19 disruption and expected covenant breaches.
  The shopping centre owner said it will “likely” breach its covenants at the end of June and is negotiating with its lenders to freeze its debts during the pandemic.
  Int
  
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• Debenhams chairman blocks Next beauty hall deals on 2 stores

  18-05-2020 09:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Debenhams chairman Mark Gifford blocks deals on two beauty hall Debenhams stores
  // Those two stores, in Birmingham Bullring and Silverburn Glasgow, were meant to be given to Next to ope beauty halls
  // Hammerson still plans to hand 3 contracts to Next for Debenhams’ locations Reading, Leicester & CroydonDebenhams chairman Mark Gifford has reportedly blocked deals on two of Debenhams’ stores which could have seen Next open new concept beauty halls in those locations.
  According
  
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• April was retail’s worst month ever as footfall plummets almost 85%

  18-05-2020 09:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // UK footfall decreased by 84.7% in April due to the Covid-19 lockdown
  // This was a record decline for the UK retail industry
  // High street footfall declined by 81.8%, retail parks declined 62.4% and shopping centres were worse off, dropping 87.8%The nationwide and mandatory lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has seen the UK retail industry suffer its worst month on record in terms of footfall.
  According to the latest footfall monitor from BRC-Shoppertrak, overall retail footfall nose d
  
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• Thousands of small retailers flock to eBay for business during lockdown

  18-05-2020 08:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // More than 50,000 new sellers, including small and indie retailers, have joined eBay since coronavirus lockdown
  // The rate of new sellers joining the site each day has doubled since the pandemic gripped the UKTens of thousands of small retailers have flocked to eBay to sell their products, after their stores were forced to shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
  The UK arm of the online marketplace business said it has seen a surge in customers and sellers over the past two months,
  
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• Etsy/face masks: the fabric of life

  18-05-2020 07:00
  Investors should not get too comfortable about website’s sales and share price
  
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• White paper reveals supply chains fit for a ‘new normal’ 

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  A new white paper from logistics and warehousing specialists, Bis Henderson Consulting, ‘Preparing supply chains for a new retail landscape post Coronavirus (COVID-19)’, argues that many... View Article
  
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• White Paper: Preparing supply chains for a new retail landscape post Coronavirus

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  A new white paper from logistics and warehousing specialists, Bis Henderson Consulting, ‘Preparing supply chains for a new retail landscape post Coronavirus (COVID-19)’, argues that many... View Article
  
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• Weird Fish staff strike a pose to showcase new collection

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Lifestyle clothing brand Weird Fish has adopted a new approach to promoting its products by asking staff to model its  latest Active Life collection. With lockdown... View Article
  
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• Ted Baker appoints David Wolffe as CFO on permanent basis

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Ted Baker has appointed David Wolffe as its new chief financial officer on a permanent basis after hiring him for the role on a interim basis... View Article
  
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• Retail footfall sees modest rise last week

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  New data has revealed that footfall across UK retail bricks-and-mortar destinations increased by just 3.3% between Monday 11 and Saturday 16 May in comparison to the... View Article
  
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• Reflexis announces Store Reopening Tools to manage store capacity, appointment scheduling and curbside pickup

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Reflexis Appointments keeps employees and customers safe as stores reopen: Reflexis Systems, Inc., the leading provider of intelligent workforce management and execution solutions for multi-site businesses in... View Article
  
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• Moto re-opens Burger King sites

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Motorway service area operator Moto is re-opening 27 of its Burger King restaurants for take-away service only. The company opened eight sites last week for HGV... View Article
  
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• Johnsons Shoes Company enters administration

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Johnsons Shoes Company, the owner of the Johnsons Shoes and Bowleys Fine Shoes retail brands, has entered administration after struggling against online competition and the impact... View Article
  
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• Greene King to offer gastro pub food delivery and takeaway service

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Pub operator Greene King has introduced a delivery and takeaway service from pubs in its its Metropolitan Pub Company division in London. From Friday 22 May,... View Article
  
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• Covid: New tools to manage store capacity, appointment scheduling and curbside pickup

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Reflexis Appointments keeps employees and customers safe as stores reopen: Reflexis Systems, Inc., the leading provider of intelligent workforce management and execution solutions for multi-site businesses in... View Article
  
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• Costa re-opens a further 46 stores

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Costa has announced the re-opening of another raft of coffee shops following a trial run of a small number of stores during the past three weeks.... View Article
  
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• Central England Co-op reveals rise in threats and abuse aimed at staff during lockdown

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Central England Co-op has seen a rise in threats and abuse being carried out against its staff during the coronavirus crisis. Problems include verbal abuse and... View Article
  
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• Aldi teams up with Deliveroo on online grocery delivery service

  18-05-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi has teamed up with Deliveroo on the piloting of an on-demand grocery home delivery service. The supermarket has begun offering rapid delivery in as little... View Article
  
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