Retail news

• Frasers Group accused of paying warehouse staff below minimum wage

  23-07-2020 20:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Frasers Group has been found to be paying warehouse staff below minimum wage
  // Staff were not being paid for their half-hour breaksMike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reportedly been accused of paying warehouse workers below minimum wage for a second time.
  Warehouse staff have been supplying the group’s Sports Direct, Flannels, Jack Wills and USC brands, and were found to have not been paid for half-hour breaks, The Guardian reported.
  Staff were also not able to leave the premises du
  
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• Dyson to cut 900 jobs as coronavirus changes customer habits

  23-07-2020 19:39
  Two-thirds of reductions will be in UK, mostly in retail and customer service
  
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• Coronavirus: in which shops do I have to wear face masks in England?

  23-07-2020 19:06 via theguardian.com
  
  New rules apply from Friday requiring face coverings to be worn in many places and carrying a £100 fine if ignoredFace coverings will need to be worn inside shops, takeaways, indoor shopping centres, banks, post offices and transport hubs such as stations and airports in England by the public from Friday 24 July. The rule will not apply to staff. Continue reading...
  
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• Face masks confirmed as compulsory in shops and takeaways

  23-07-2020 18:20
  Official guidance provides clarity hours before the new rules come into force
  
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• Employment in retail during Covid-19

  23-07-2020 17:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  The UK’s retail industry was suffering prior to the Covid-19 crisis, so it’s no surprise that the pandemic has caused the industry to go haywire in its wake.
  With coronavirus cases continuing its steady decline and social life slowly coming back to normal, furloughed workers are now able to return to work part-time. However, the jobs many of them would be returning to have either changed immensely or disappeared all together, thanks to the economic impact of Covid-19.
  The UK declare
  
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• Undercover footage: manager at Sports Direct warehouse says worker can't leave during break – video

  23-07-2020 17:58 via theguardian.com
  
  Warehouse workers at Sports Direct, the retail chain controlled by billionaire Mike Ashley, appear to be receiving pay below the national minimum wage, according to expert analysis of a new Guardian undercover investigation.An undercover reporter recorded how staff at the Shirebrook, Derbyshire, were unable to leave the warehouse during their 30-minute unpaid breaks – a practice some employment law experts say should count as paid working time and, if correct, would push Shirebro
  
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• St David’s launches “Made in Wales” to support local retailers

  23-07-2020 17:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // St David’s Cardiff launches “Made in Wales” initiative to support Welsh retailers
  // The winner gets a store and six-month lease at the shopping centreSt David’s shopping centre in Cardiff has launched “Made in Wales”, a new initiative supporting local retail businesses with the opportunity to win a store and six-month lease.
  The centre’s owners, St David’s Partnership, said the campaign was designed to provide an opportunity for a Welsh-based r
  
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• Government updates guidance on mandatory face coverings

  23-07-2020 17:09 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Government updates guidance around mandatory face coverings that comes into effect tomorrow
  // Face coverings must be worn inside most enclosed public spaces, such as supermarkets, takeaway shops, banks & shopping centres
  // Eat-in and many leisure sites, such as restaurants, cinemas and gyms, are exemptPeople will need to wear a face covering inside shopping centres, banks, takeaway outlets, sandwich shops and supermarkets under updated regulations that take effect in England from tomorr
  
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• Sports Direct may be paying less than minimum wage, investigation shows

  23-07-2020 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Exclusive: Investigation finds staff unable to leave premises during breaksHave working conditions improved at the Sports Direct warehouse?Warehouse workers at Sports Direct, the retail chain controlled by the colourful billionaire Mike Ashley, appear to be receiving pay below the national minimum wage, according to expert analysis of a new Guardian undercover investigation.The concerns have emerged almost five years after the Guardian first exposed how the retailer was breaching minimum wage la
  
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• Have working conditions improved at the Sports Direct warehouse?

  23-07-2020 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The Guardian’s return to the vast Shirebrook facility shows progress but issues remain, not least over pay rates and breaksUndercover investigation shows Sports Direct may be paying less than minimum wageWhen Mike Ashley was hauled in front of a parliamentary select committee in 2016, the Sports Direct boss was very clear about his company’s principal priority.Asked to name one value the retailer “held dear from the very top to the bottom”, the billionaire shot back: &ldq
  
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• 500 Asos customer care centre jobs at risk

  23-07-2020 16:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // 500 staff at Asos’ customer care centre have been entered consultation
  // The job cuts follow the 100 redundancies announced in March, and another 100 last October
  // The job cuts are part of Asos’ ongoing restructuring schemeAsos is reportedly looking to make hundreds of additional job cuts at its customer care centre as part of its ongoing business restructure.
  According to Drapers, the online fashion retailer is presently consulting with around 500 day shift staff at the c
  
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• Face masks mandatory in shops, takeaways and stations in England from Friday

  23-07-2020 16:05 via theguardian.com
  
  Banks, post offices and airports will also be subject to new rules, government confirms Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFace coverings will be compulsory in takeaways, banks and post offices as well as shops, supermarkets and stations in England from Friday, the government has announced.Face coverings must be worn when buying food and drink to take away, but if sitting down and consuming their purchase in the same premises, a customer can remove their face cover
  
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• Former & current John Lewis bosses to meet over Birmingham closure

  23-07-2020 14:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis Partnership chair Sharon White to meet with West Midlands mayor Andy Street
  // Meeting will be about the closure of John Lewis Birmingham, which opened when Street was John Lewis MD
  // Street previously criticised the decision to close the store down, and White insisted it was not a rent tacticA former John Lewis managing director and the recently-appointed chair of parent company John Lewis Partnership are slated to meet to discuss the closure of the retailer’s Birmingham st
  
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• Deliveroo sparks IPO speculation after appointing new CFO

  23-07-2020 14:28 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Deliveroo has sparked fresh speculation that it is considering an Initial Public Offering (IPO) after appointing a new chief financial officer.
  Ex-Expedia executive Adam Miller will join Deliveroo as its new finance chief bringing a nine-month search to an end, according to Sky News.
  On Wednesday, Deliveroo’s founder and chief executive Will Shu informed staff that Miller would take on the role permanently after holding it on an interim basis since October.
  It comes amid raft of c-lev
  
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• Ann Taylor owner to close 1,600 stores after bankruptcy filing

  23-07-2020 13:40
  US retail conglomerate Ascena comes unstuck following debt-fuelled acquisition spree
  
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• Ann Taylor owner files for bankruptcy protection

  23-07-2020 13:40
  Heavily indebted US retailer Ascena is latest to suffer from coronavirus lockdown
  
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• Coronavirus allows UK Flooring Direct to create new jobs & step up growth

  23-07-2020 12:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // UK Flooring Direct says coronavirus pandemic has allowed it to create more jobs
  // The pandemic also accelerated its growth plans
  // The online flooring retailer hopes to grow from 125 to 200 staff by the end of 2021UK Flooring Direct has increased staff by 20 per cent during lockdown and is set to recruit three more senior directors during the third quarter of the year.
  The online flooring retailer has also brought forward its growth plans after seeing sales increase over the past three mont
  
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• For sale: useless gadgets bought during lockdown

  23-07-2020 12:00
  Fold-up dog bowls, cheap hair trimmers, a chimenea that smokes out the neighbours: our insane addiction to online shopping
  
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• Tesco is making major changes to its online delivery fees sparking outrage on social media

  23-07-2020 11:32 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Tesco is making major changes to its online delivery charges by scrapping its peak time system sparking a major backlash from customers.
  Tesco will now charge £4.50 or £5.50 for delivery on online orders from August 5, depending on whether the goods are picked and packed from stores or fulfilment centres.
  Until now Tesco has charged varying rates depending on the delivery time, ranging from £2 for off peak deliveries to £7 for busier periods.
  READ MORE: Tesco makes c
  
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• Nike makes leadership promotions under new strategy but jobs cuts loom

  23-07-2020 10:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Nike to make job cuts after launching new Consumer Direct Acceleration (CDA) strategy
  // The sportswear giant has made a number of promotionsNike has announced job cuts and has made a number of changes in its leadership team in order to support its new Consumer Direct Acceleration (CDA) strategy.
  The CDA, which was revealed last month, is a digital initiative to help support the retailer’s direct-to-consumer business, designed “to create a more premium, consistent and seamless con
  
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• Former Missguided online CEO Gareth Jones joins White Stuff

  23-07-2020 09:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Ex-Missguided CEO of online, Gareth Jones joins White Stuff as non-executive director
  // He was at the helm of Missguided between 2017 and 2018The former chief executive of online at Missguided, Gareth Jones has reportedly joined White Stuff as a non-executive director.
  Prior to Missguided, Jones was most recently the chief executive of online food retailer MuscleFood.
  He was at the helm of Missguided between 2017 and 2018, Drapers reported.READ MORE: 390 job cuts at White StuffBefo
  
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• Lockdown sees Brits spend almost £800 each

  23-07-2020 09:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Brits spent almost £800 each in lockdown
  // 3 in 10 Brits bought items that would make them or their household happier
  // The UK has spent a total of £40 billion on non-essential itemsUK consumers have each spent almost £800 during lockdown in an effort to take their minds off having to stay home, new research has found.
  Research from Barclaycard found that Brits spent an average of £771.34 as they were forced to stay home, and almost three in 10 bought items that woul
  
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• £800 spent each as Brits stayed home during lockdown

  23-07-2020 09:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Brits spent up to £800 each in lockdown
  // 3 in 10 Brits bought items that would make them or their household happier
  // The UK has spent a total of £40 billion on non-essential itemsUK consumers have spent on average £800 each during lockdown in an effort to take their minds off having to stay home, new research has found.
  Almost three in 10 Brits bought items that would make them or their household happier, such as outdoor plants and baking ingredients, research from Barcl
  
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• Gear4music raises profit outlook after sales surge 80%

  23-07-2020 08:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Gear4music sales rise over 60% in the 3 months to June 30
  // The retailer said the increase was thanks to Brits having more time to play instruments while stuck at homeGear4music has recorded a total sales increase of 68 per cent to £37.3 million in the three months to June 30 as lockdown caused Brits to play instruments while staying home.
  Sales in the UK sales increased by a colossal 80 per cent to £21.2 million while international sales climbed by 55 per cent to £16.
  
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• Frasers Group stores at risk as Mike Ashley slams business rates revaluation delay

  23-07-2020 08:31 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Mike Ashley warns some Sports Direct and House of Fraser stores may have to close
  // The warning comes after the government delayed the next business rates valuation until 2023Mike Ashley has warned that some of his Sports Direct and House of Fraser stores may have to close following the government’s decision to delay the next business rates valuation until 2023.
  Ashley’s Frasers Group said the decision to delay the next revaluation of business rates has “kicked” high
  
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• To survive, shops in Britain will have to move to where the commuters are now | Gavin Chait

  23-07-2020 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The relationship between high streets and workers is up for renegotiation. Let’s not waste this momentA community is a community because of its people, and some of those people are only present because of proximity or force of habit. That twice-daily dam-burst of commuters back and forth between home and work supports the architecture of our economy, with its clusters of offices rising above jostling streets lined with restaurants, cafes and retailers.In its current form, a sufficient mass
  
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• Why supermarkets struggle to profit from the online grocery boom

  23-07-2020 06:00
  Covid-19 has led to a surge in ecommerce sales but the costs of running a delivery network are high
  
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• Why supermarkets are struggling to profit from the online grocery boom

  23-07-2020 06:00
  Covid-19 has led to a surge in ecommerce sales but the costs of running a delivery network are high
  
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• Supermarkets struggle to profit from the online grocery boom

  23-07-2020 06:00
  Covid-19 has led to an ecommerce surge but the costs of running a delivery network are high
  
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• Secure your free place at the Digital Transformation Webinars

  23-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Do you want to unlock the full potential of your digital offering to improve how you connect and interact with customers both in-store and online? Then join us at our... View Article
  
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• Matalan first quarter sales down 72% after Covid posed ‘biggest challenge ever’

  23-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Matalan has reported that its revenue dropped by 72% to £75.3 million in its first quarter as the Covid-19 lockdown took its toll. The 13 weeks to... View Article
  
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• Join us at the Digital Transformation Webinars

  23-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Do you want to unlock the full potential of your digital offering to improve how you connect and interact with customers both in-store and online? Then join us at our... View Article
  
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• Gear4music boosted by strong lockdown trading

  23-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Gear4music increased its sales by 68% to £37.3 million in the three months to 30 June as it benefited from people having more time to play... View Article
  
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