Retail news

• Outgoing boss of housebuilder Persimmon sells down

  24-07-2020 19:00
  Chief executive Dave Jenkinson cuts stake as he prepares to step down after just over a year in the role
  
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• 'The masks are everywhere today' – England's shoppers finally cover up

  24-07-2020 18:04 via theguardian.com
  
  A week ago few would have worn a face covering, on Friday most shoppers in Devizes or Stratford followed the rulesSainsbury’s and Asda say they won’t enforce English mask laws
  Which shops do I have to wear face masks in England?
  Earlier this week, the sight of a person shopping in a mask in the Wiltshire market town of Devizes was an unusual one. Related: Coronavirus: in which shops do I have to wear face masks in England?Continue reading...
  
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• Rises in UK retail sales and business activity boost Covid-19 recovery hopes

  24-07-2020 17:06 via theguardian.com
  
  Consumer spending recovers near pre-pandemic levels but UK still on course for recessionCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageHopes of a rapid recovery in Britain’s economy from the coronavirus lockdown have been boosted by a summer rebound in retail sales and the strongest monthly growth in business activity for five years.The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed retail sales rose by 13.9% in June compared with May as pent-up demand amo
  
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• Dr Martens owner among investors bidding for Gymshark stake

  24-07-2020 16:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Dr Martens owner Permira joins bidding war for Gymshark stake
  // Other firms looking to make a bid include Inflexion Private Equity, General Atlantic, TSG Partners & L Cattertonare
  // Gmshark is understood to be planning a £1 billion valuation via a minority stake saleThe private equity owner of Dr Martens has reportedly joined the list of investors looking to snap up a stake in online sportswear retailer Gymshark.
  Gymshark, whose growth in recent years has made its founder one of t
  
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• French Connection secures £15m funding

  24-07-2020 16:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // French Connection secures £15m funding from turnaround specialist Hilco Capital
  // Retailer expects the funding will help it mitigate the disruption caused by Covid-19
  // French Connection’s shops have reopened but it is experiencing significantly reduced footfallFrench Connection has received £15 million cash injection from turnaround specialist firm Hilco Capital to help it mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
  The fashion retailer said the working cap
  
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• Don't get lost in facemask details, just wear one out of decency | Zoe Williams

  24-07-2020 14:44 via theguardian.com
  
  Should you wear a mask in a coffee shop? What about a takeaway? If you’re finding it confusing, there is one simple approach to follow Masks became mandatory in a range of public places in England on Friday, after a long hiatus during which government ministers couldn’t agree on what to do about them. The list of places is explicable but not intuitive: you should wear a mask in shops and supermarkets, and also in takeaways and coffee shops, but not if you are sitting at a table to ea
  
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• Selfridges launches “bike shop of the future”

  24-07-2020 14:24 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Selfridges has launched the “bike shop of the future” at its pop-up Corner Shop store selling a range of high-tech e-bikes.
  The iconic luxury department stores has thrown its considerable weight behind the e-bike industry, partnering with technology giant Smartech to host the pop-up on Oxford Street until August 16.
  Its bike shop will feature a range e-bikes from leading brands including Angell, Superstrata and Mate X and will rotate its stock every week.
  Customers will be able to te
  
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• UK retail sales and services sector rebound more than expected

  24-07-2020 14:21
  Economists remain wary over what data reveal about strength of post-lockdown recovery
  
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• Covid-19 puts workers in danger. It's another reason we need unions | Steven Greenhouse

  24-07-2020 14:12 via theguardian.com
  
  At one US meat plant, 890 workers contracted Covid-19. At another, eight people died. Only organized labor will protect us
  In May, workers at a McDonald’s in San Francisco said that when they asked their employer for masks, they were told to use coffee filters instead. In April, at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, a workers’ representative told me they only saw two hand sanitizers for the facility’s 5,000 employees. A Walmart worker in New Orleans said in April that severa
  
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• Police tell shops to refuse entry for customers without face covering

  24-07-2020 13:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Police Federation tell shops to refuse entry for customers not wearing face covering
  // Chairman John Apter said forces “do not have the resources” to widely enforce the new law
  // Face coverings within enclosed spaces like shops, banks, shopping centres % takeway stores are mandatory from todayRank-and-file police officers are urging shops to refuse entry to people not wearing face coverings after some retailers said they would not penalise customers who fail to do so.
  Police can
  
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• Hotel Chocolate to create 200 jobs as quarterly sales surge

  24-07-2020 13:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Hotel Chocolat to create 200 jobs in its supply chain
  // It enjoyed a 200% surge in quarterly online sales during lockdown & subscriptions jumped 47%
  // The sales upticks helped make up for loss of revenue from stores in lockdownHotel Chocolat is to create 200 jobs in its chocolate-making factory and distribution site after a surge in online demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
  The chocolatier said customers switching online during the lockdown helped to mitigate the impact of closing
  
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• Sainsbury’s and Asda say they won't enforce English face mask laws

  24-07-2020 12:48 via theguardian.com
  
  Police urge big stores to refuse entry to non-compliant shoppers over coronavirus riskCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMajor high street names have said they will not enforce a new law making the wearing of face masks compulsory in shops in England.Sainsbury’s, Asda and the Co-op are among the stores saying they do not plan to police the new rule, which carries a £100 fine for non-compliance. However, police leaders are urging shops to refuse entry to
  
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• Consumer confidence remains unchanged a month after lockdown exit

  24-07-2020 12:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Consumer confidence index remains flat with a score of -27 for July
  // Personal finance and general economic outlook indexes were up
  // Indexes for major purchases and economic sentiment over the past year both declineConsumer confidence has remained unchanged more than a month after lockdown restrictions on non-essential retailers were eased and they were allowed to reopen.
  GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Barometer, which measures overall consumer confidence based on personal fi
  
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• Labour to urge HMRC to investigate Sports Direct pay levels

  24-07-2020 12:20 via theguardian.com
  
  Move comes after Guardian inquiry suggests firm may be paying below minimum wage Have working conditions improved at Sports Direct warehouse?Labour’s frontbench is to ask HMRC to investigate pay levels at Sports Direct, after expert analysis of a Guardian undercover investigation suggested the company could be paying below the minimum wage.The move by Andy McDonald, shadow secretary of state for employment rights, comes after the Guardian returned to the company’s warehouse in Shireb
  
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• Ikea, Walmart and McDonald’s have all quietly pulled their Facebook advertising spend

  24-07-2020 11:06 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Ikea, Walmart and Peloton have become the latest major brands to pull their Facebook advertising spend but have all chosen to not announce it publicly.
  According to a new report published by Media Matters, Ikea paused its advertising on Facebook in early July but the Swedish furniture giant refrained from announcing the move or its direct support for the #StopHateForProfit campaign.
  Walmart, McDonald’s, Kohl’s, Kellogg’s, Peloton, Dell, Allstate and Geico have all als
  
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• UK retail sales bounce back in June close to pre-coronavirus levels

  24-07-2020 10:48 via theguardian.com
  
  ONS figures raise hopes for faster economic recovery from Covid-19 crisis than fearedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageUK retail sales rebounded in June close to pre-pandemic levels, according to official figures, as non-essential shops reopened in England and Wales.The Office for National Statistics said the volume of retail sales increased by 13.9% when compared with May 2020, with the British high street gradually recovering from the sharpest decline in consume
  
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• Swarovski to axe 1600 HQ jobs as revenues set to drop 35%

  24-07-2020 09:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Swarovski will scrap up to 1600 jobs at its head office
  // Revenues are expected to drop around 35% to £1.8 billion this yearSwarovski is set to cut a total of 1600 jobs at its headquarters as part of a major restructuring programme.
  Around 4600 people are currently employed at the Wattens facility in Austria.
  The jewellery retailer said at least 1000 jobs will be lost this autumn, while another 600 will be scrapped before 2022.READ MORE:Swarovski welcomes its first ever company-wide cr
  
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• UK retail sales jump 14% in June as stores reopen

  24-07-2020 09:02
  Rebound after spring collapse brings spending close to pre-pandemic levels
  
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• Retail sales return to pre-Covid levels

  24-07-2020 09:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Retail sales in June have increased after record declines in March and April
  // Sales rose 1.5% year-on-year over the month, and were up 1.7% by volumeTotal retails sales have returned to a similar level as before the Covid-19 crisis, as June saw ecommerce channels continue to trade well.
  Sales, excluding fuel, rose 1.5 per cent year-on-year over the month, and were up 1.7 per cent by volume, according to the ONS.
  This marked the second consecutive month of strong growth following record decl
  
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• 200 new jobs as PrettyLittleThing submits plans to expand HQ

  24-07-2020 08:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // PrettyLittleThing to expand Manchester HQ
  // 200 additional jobs will be created, taking the overall headcount in the UK to around 600PrettyLittleThing has announced plans to expand its existing head office in Manchester in a move that will create 200 new jobs.
  The fast fashion giant, which is owned by Boohoo, is seeking to build a 10,000sq ft extension to its Wellington Mill headquarters.
  The former warehouse on the Ancoats Works site will be converted, with architecture studio Jenkins Desig
  
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• Dyson to cut 900 jobs as consumers shift online

  24-07-2020 08:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Dyson will cut 900 jobs globally as consumer habits shift online thanks to Covid-19
  // The engineering group employs a total of 4000 people in the UKDyson has said it will axe 900 jobs across the company as the Covid-19 crisis has shifted consumer purchases online.
  The retailer employs a total of 4000 people in the UK, and those affected will be staff in retail and customer service.
  At least 600 jobs will be scrapped in the UK.READ MORE: Dyson moves 100 jobs overseasWhile demand for its
  
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• Ocado’s online shopping promise has too high a price tag

  24-07-2020 05:00
  Giddiness has pushed valuation to levels that would make most web retailers blush
  
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• Consumer confidence survey casts doubt on V-shaped recovery

  24-07-2020 01:01 via theguardian.com
  
  Bank of England says fear of rising redundancies and concerns over shopping health risks are limiting spending Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFears of rising redundancies and concerns about the health risks of high street shopping have hit consumer confidence, according to a closely watched survey that flatlined last month.The GfK barometer for July showed confidence petering out, despite rising in May and June. It came as a senior Bank of England policymaker w
  
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• White Stuff appoints new non-executive director

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The White Stuff fashion brand has appointed Gareth Jones as a non-executive director Jones has previously worked as chief executive of Muscle Food and online chief executive of... View Article
  
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• St David’s launches ‘Made in Wales’ campaign

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The owners of the St David’s shopping centre  in Cardiff have launched a new initiative to support local retail businesses. Run by the St David’s Partnership, the ‘Made in Wales’... View Article
  
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• Nike announces changes to leadership team and potential job cuts

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Nike has announced a series of changes to its senior leadership team as well as plans to cut an undisclosed number of jobs as part of changes... View Article
  
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• Naked Wines chairman to step down

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Naked Wines has announced that its chairman John Walden will be stepping down after the company’s AGM in August due to personal reasons. He will be succeeded... View Article
  
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• Mothercare’s Mark Newton-Jones steps down as executive director

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Mothercare has announced that Mark Newton-Jones has now stepped down as an executive director of the business, although he will continue to serve as a non-executive director subject... View Article
  
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• Hotel Chocolat on track after full year sales rise

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Hotel Chocolat saw its revenue increase by 3% to £136 million in the year to 28 June after the company successfully migrated a significant proportion of... View Article
  
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• Holland & Barrett launches new line process for suppliers

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Health and wellness retailer Holland & Barrett has launched a new process to help suppliers share details of new products with the company and speed up bringing them to market. Managed... View Article
  
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• Consumer confidence holds steady this month

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  New data has shown that consumer confidence has held steady in July as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease across the UK. GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index has... View Article
  
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• Case Study: Panera Bread manages growing data pantry with TIBCO EBX Software

  24-07-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Panera Bread believes that good food, food you can feel good about, can bring out the best in all of us. It has over 2,000 bakery-cafes... View Article
  
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