Retail news

• New lockdown, same economic victims: young, low-paid workers

  03-11-2020 19:17
  
  Low-paid workers are most at risk of losing their jobs or being furloughed on less than the minimum wageAs far as the labour market is concerned, lockdown 2 will be the same as lockdown 1: the main casualties will be young, low-paid workers employed by consumer-facing services.Retailing, hospitality and leisure make up around one-sixth of the economy’s output and anybody working in one of those sectors is more at risk of losing their job, of being furloughed and of not having their governm
  
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• Prudent Primark owner is right to keep hold of cash

  03-11-2020 18:19
  Associated British Foods doesn’t pay a dividend; Telit still can’t escape Oozi Cats
  
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• HelloFresh doubles revenue as consumers snap up meal kits

  03-11-2020 17:33
  Food delivery provider increases capacity as pandemic spurs ‘profound change in behaviour’
  
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• Boots outlines plans for stores as England heads for second lockdown

  03-11-2020 17:18 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Boots to remain open throughout England lockdown
  // From Thursday, non-essential retailers will be forced to close across England
  // Boots Opticians and Boots Hearingcare services will keep operatingBoots has outlined plans on how its stores across England will continue to operate as the country heads for a month-long lockdown.
  From Thursday, non-essential retailers will be forced to close across England.
  The health and beauty giant has confirmed it will remain open, offering items such as pr
  
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• Ant IPO/CCP: party pooper

  03-11-2020 17:09
  The market’s old lags will chafe at further evidence of China’s hostility to free speech
  
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• Should Christmas come early this year as second lockdown is underway?

  03-11-2020 16:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  With the continued uncertainty surrounding the retail industry due to Covid-19, customers may be shopping for Christmas earlier this year than ever before. On the flipside, with the majority of the UK population now in lockdown, it’s probable that in-person Christmas shopping on the high street may be delayed dramatically.
  With Wales in lockdown until next week and England about to enter a month-long one, while the whole of the UK is deep in a second wave of soaring Covid infection rates,
  
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• Fortnum & Mason appoints Tom Athron as new CEO

  03-11-2020 15:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tom Athron joins Fortnum & Mason as its new CEO on December 1
  // He will move from Matchesfashion, where he was chief operating officer
  // Tom Athron will replace Ewan Venters, who will exit Fortnum & Mason in JanuaryFortnum & Mason has announced the appointment of Tom Athron as its new chief executive.
  Athron will join the luxury retailer on December 1, where a month-long handover process will take place before he replaces Ewan Venters.
  Venters first announced his resignation fro
  
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• Alibaba in talks to invest over £200m in Farfetch

  03-11-2020 15:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Alibaba seeks to invest £232m in Farfetch to expand luxury presence
  // The Chinese retailer has 874 million monthly active users in China
  // Alibaba’s Chinese rivals Tencent and JD.com have already invested in FarfetchAlibaba is in talks to invest $300 million (£232 million) in British ecommerce platform Farfetch as it seeks to expand its presence in the luxury market.
  The Chinese online retailer, founded by businessman Jack Ma, has 874 million monthly active users in China.
  
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• Walmart drops roving robots for inventory tracking

  03-11-2020 15:28 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Walmart has dropped plans to use roving robots to scan shelves and keep track of inventory, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
  The move brings an end to years of innovation for the retailer as it looked to use robots to assist shop staff in tasks such as keeping shelves well-stocked.
  Walmart reportedly ended its five-year partnership with Bossa Nova Robotics Inc, which had been established to help improve the customer experience through the use of robots.
  READ MORE: Walm
  
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• Primark owner calls for longer post-lockdown shopping hours to claw back Covid losses

  03-11-2020 13:20
  
  ABF says chain lost out on £2bn in sales due to pandemic and expects to miss out on £375m more in second lockdown in EnglandCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageShops should be allowed to open for extra hours on Sundays and evenings in December, Primark’s owner has said, to help retailers make up some of the trade lost during England’s latest high street lockdown in a safe way.The cut price fashion chain, which does not sell online, lost out o
  
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• Primark owner calls for longer post-lockdown opening hours to claw back Covid losses

  03-11-2020 13:20
  
  ABF says chain lost out on £2bn in sales due to pandemic and expects to miss out on £375m more in second lockdown in EnglandCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageShops should be allowed to open for extra hours on Sundays and evenings in December, Primark’s owner has said, to help retailers make up some of the trade lost during England’s latest high street lockdown in a safe way.The cut price fashion chain, which does not sell online, lost out o
  
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• Primark has lost £2bn of sales because of Covid pandemic

  03-11-2020 13:20
  
  Owner ABF says it expects to miss out on further £375m in second lockdown in EnglandCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePrimark has lost out on £2bn of sales and £650m of profit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, contributing to a dive in annual profits for the retailer’s parent group.Associated British Foods (ABF), which also owns Twinings teas, Kingsmill bread and Dorset Cereals, said sales at Primark dropped 24% to £5.9bn and p
  
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• M&S completes rollout of Sparks “Book & Shop” ahead of lockdown #2

  03-11-2020 13:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // M&S completes rollout of Sparks “Book & Shop” service ahead of a second lockdown in England
  // First major UK retailer to roll out appointment shopping to help customers plan ahead & avoid queues
  // Follows successful launches in Scotland & WalesMarks & Spencer has completed the national rollout of its Sparks “Book & Shop” online reservation service just as England prepares to enter a second lockdown for a month.
  The service allows customers to
  
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• Primark calls for extended trading hours after UK lockdown

  03-11-2020 12:01
  Plea comes alongside news that clothing retailer’s owner plans to scrap dividend
  
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• Ikea says second round of lockdowns will have less impact on its business

  03-11-2020 12:00
  World’s largest furniture retailer steps up production to meet demand for home improvements
  
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• Boohoo’s sold-out investor to overhaul company practice after factory scandal

  03-11-2020 11:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Boohoo investor Standard Life Aberdeen has overhauled its company engagement process
  // The overhaul comes after Boohoo’s recent Leicester factory scandalBoohoo’s recent Leicester factory scandal has prompted asset manager Standard Life Aberdeen to overhaul its company engagement process after being affected by the allegations against the retailer.
  The online retailer hit the headlines earlier this year over investigations into a multi-million pound money laundering network in Lei
  
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• Amazon forced to withdraw Black Friday discount advertising in France due to lockdown

  03-11-2020 11:27 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon has been told to withdraw its advertising for pre-Black Friday discounts in France after the government decided it was unfair for small shops who had been forced to close.
  Since Friday October 30, France has been under another national lockdown, which includes the closure of non-essential stores.
  Junior Economy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runchaer asked Amazon to suspend its campaign around pre-Black Friday sales.
  READ MORE: Why Amazon Prime Day may have ruined the Golden Quarte
  
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• London Mayor Sadiq Khan demands business rates holiday extension

  03-11-2020 11:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls for extension on business rates holiday for retailers
  // The current holiday will finish at the end of March 2021
  // An extension will provide a “lifeline” to businesses in London ahead of second lockdownLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan is calling on the UK government for an extension to the current business rates holiday for retailers.
  Khan has written to housing secretary Robert Jenrick to call for the extension.
  The current holiday will finish at the e
  
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• Golden Quarter 2020

  03-11-2020 11:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Are You Ecommerce Ready?
  Learn whether your ecommerce platform is fully optimised to streamline buyer journeys, maximise revenue and minimise downtime with these 10 questions.
  As we enter a Golden Quarter like no other with more online sales than ever expected, it has never been more critical to ensure your ecommerce platform is fully optimised.
  We’ve crafted 10 essential questions that you should know the answers to in order to:Ensure the uptime, performance and security of your ecommerce
  
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• Primark profits plunge 60% after a difficult year with Covid

  03-11-2020 10:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Primark’s adjusted operating profit fell 60% to £362m in the full year ending Sept 12
  // Revenues dropped 24% to £5.9bn in the same 52-week period
  // UK like-for-like sales down 12% and 17% across Europe since reopening from the first lockdown
  // There is a chance Primark could extend its opening hours for Christmas once lockdown in England endsPrimark has revealed a slump in profit and sales for the past year after the enforced closures of its high-street stores and other C
  
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• Currys PC World and The Entertainer extend opening hours ahead of second lockdown

  03-11-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Currys PC World and The Entertainer are extending their opening hours
  // The retailers are attempting to make up for lost trade as England heads for second lockdown
  // Non-essential retail will temporarily shut its doors as a result of rising Covid-19 casesCurrys PC World and The Entertainer are extending their opening hours in the run-up to the second national lockdown in England.
  From Thursday, all non-essential retailers will temporarily shut their doors as a result of rising Covid-19 case
  
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• Currys PC World & The Entertainer extend opening hours ahead of second lockdown

  03-11-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Currys PC World and The Entertainer are extending their opening hours
  // The retailers are attempting to make up for lost trade as England heads for second lockdown
  // Non-essential retail will temporarily shut its doors as a result of rising Covid-19 casesCurrys PC World and The Entertainer are extending their opening hours in the run-up to the second national lockdown in England.
  From Thursday, all non-essential retailers will temporarily shut their doors as a result of rising Covid-19 case
  
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• Curry PC World and The Entertainer extend opening hours ahead of second lockdown

  03-11-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Curry PC World and The Entertainer are extending their opening hours
  // The retailers are attempting to make up for lost trade as England heads for second lockdown
  // Non-essential retail will temporarily shut its doors as a result of rising Covid-19 casesCurry PC World and The Entertainer are extending their opening hours in the run-up to the second national lockdown in England.
  From Thursday, all non-essential retailers will temporarily shut their doors as a result of rising Covid-19 cases
  
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• Boris Johnson sees “brighter future” for Christmas shopping if R rate falls

  03-11-2020 09:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // PM Boris Johnson says Christmas shopping can still happen if R rate falls below 1
  // England is set to go into a month-long lockdown from ThursdayPrime Minister Boris Johnson has sought to raise hopes of people being able to do their Christmas shopping in person throughout much of December.
  However, he warned this would depend on the second lockdown proving a “success” in reducing the Covid-19 infection rate – or the R rate.
  New lockdown rules for England will come into forc
  
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• Grocers “getting government money they do not need” – Bill Grimsey

  03-11-2020 09:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Retail expert Bill Grimsey says big grocery chains do not need government help during Covid
  // He urged the Chancellor to consider a targeted approach to ensure smaller businesses had financial help
  // Bill Grimsey also says business rate should be abolished and replaced with a 2% “sales tax” on retail salesBig supermarket chains were reaping the rewards of government help “when they didn’t need it”, leading retail expert Bill Grimsey has said.
  Grimsey, himself a
  
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• Associated British Foods scraps dividend as Primark profits fall

  03-11-2020 09:09
  Increases at group’s sugar business fail to offset the lockdown damage at its clothing chain
  
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• A new website for independent bookshops is just what the industry needs | Simon Jenkins

  03-11-2020 08:00
  
  The high street is clearly facing disaster, but in order to survive it must make peace with the online worldGood news from the high street. We don’t often read those words, least of all courtesy of the internet. The UK opening on Monday of the Bookshop website is a blood transfusion for independent bookshops and one from which all retailers can learn. The website is a mail-order circumvention of Amazon, selling books under the flags of more than 130 independent booksellers. Buyers order th
  
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• Retail and hospitality in England open extra hours before lockdown

  03-11-2020 07:00
  
  Some sellers seeing strongest sales in months as customer numbers surgeRetailers, hairdressers and restaurants in England have said they are extending opening hours and seeing their strongest bookings in months, as Thursday’s lockdown looms.Gary Grant, the chairman of toyshop chain The Entertainer, said shoppers were “clearing the shelves like it’s Christmas Eve” with sales on Monday double that of the equivalent day last year.New national restrictions are due to come int
  
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• Europe’s shopkeepers on the warpath over lockdowns

  03-11-2020 06:00
  Small traders angered by ‘unfair’ competition from supermarkets — and from online giant Amazon
  
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• Watsons reaches milestone of 100 million loyalty members

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Watsons, the flagship health and beauty brand of A.S. Watson Group, has reached a milestone of 100 million loyalty members in Asia. Established in 2008 to... View Article
  
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• Waitrose and John Lewis prepare to unveil a Christmas campaign like no other

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The John Lewis Partnership has said it will aim to create an “outpouring of kindness” to provide a lifeline for at least 100,000 struggling families as... View Article
  
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• Trust Issues: As we go back into lockdown the health of our people has never been more important

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  Guest Comment: Chris Brook-Carter, CEO, retailTRUST Two weeks ago, retailTRUST held its very first digital wellbeing conference in support of our #forthefour campaign. Held over three... View Article
  
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• Top tips for Peak 2020 – Preparing for the digital storm

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  In 2019 UK shoppers spent around £37.4 million in November, but with the uncertainty of 2020, we have no idea what peak will look like this... View Article
  
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• Primark posts drop in full year sales and profit

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Primark saw both its sales and profit decline in the year to 12 September after trading was heavily impacted by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.... View Article
  
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• Morrisons extends teachers discount to nursery and college staff

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  After last week’s announcement that it would be offering teachers and school staff a 10% discount on purchases, Morrisons has now extended it to staff working... View Article
  
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• Improved forecasting starts with effective data and standard modelling

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Guest post: Dan Bursik, Vice President – Best Practices – Logile This is Part 3 of a 5 Part series on Forecasting by Dan Bursik. To read Part... View Article
  
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• Burberry partners with Tencent’s Honour of Kings

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Burberry has embarked on a partnership with Tencent Games’ blockbuster online game, Honour of Kings. The luxury brand said the move will give its customers another... View Article
  
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• Bargain Max expands reach to Ireland

  03-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Online discount toy retailer Bargain Max is expanding its reach to the Republic of Ireland by offering shipping to the country. Items will be delivered free... View Article
  
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