Retail news

• Covid-hit companies register big gains on FTSE after vaccine news

  13-11-2020 19:08
  
  Hopes of a return to normal life have boosted some share prices this weekMany companies that have suffered a sharp sell-off since the beginning of the pandemic registered big gains after the vaccine news boosted hopes that a return to normal pre-Covid life could be coming. At the same time, some of the shine came off firms that have profited from coronavirus thanks to a strong focus online. Related: FTSE 100 records best week since April as Covid vaccine triggers hopes for economyRelated: Global
  
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• Asos director sells down after pre-tax profits quadruple

  13-11-2020 19:00
  Pandemic prompts a change in shoppers’ attitudes
  
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• Retail Gazette Loves: Authors coming together to support local bookshops

  13-11-2020 18:20 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Some of modern literature’s best-known authors are banding together to back a campaign that aims to support local bookshops as England endures another lockdown.
  Matt Haig, Malorie Blackman and Adam Kay are among hundreds of authors who have come together in a “thunderclap of support” by backing the backing #SignForOurBookshops.READ MORE: Indie bookshops team up to take on AmazonThe campaign entails providing bookstores with signed, personalised bookplates designed by Chri
  
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• Tribunal upholds JD Sports’ appeal over Footasylum, citing Covid

  13-11-2020 18:09
  Arbitration body tells regulator to review decision, pointing to changed consumer behaviour
  
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• Tribunal overturns CMA ban on JD Sports’ £90m Footasylum takeover

  13-11-2020 17:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Competition Appeal Tribunal overturns CMA’s decision to block JD Sports’ takeover of Footasylum
  // The takeover was blocked by the CMA in May
  // The tribunal’s decision means the proposed £90m takeover will be remitted to the CMA for reconsiderationThe CMA’s decision to block JD Sport’s £90 million takeover of Footasylum has been overturned by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
  The tribunal agreed with JD Sports that the CMA did not follow up on inquiri
  
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• Next chief executive Simon Wolfson offloads £10m of shares

  13-11-2020 17:31
  Disposal of a tenth of holding leaves FTSE 100’s longest-serving CEO with an £80m stake
  
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• All the retailers who’ve signed up to Marcus Rashford’s food poverty taskforce

  13-11-2020 17:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  In June, Marcus Rashford grabbed headlines and became a national hero after he successfully lobbied the government to provide free school meal vouchers to pupils over the summer holidays.
  Since then, the Manchester United and England striker has teamed up with grocers and food suppliers to form the Child Food Poverty Task Force.Statement from the Child Food Poverty Task Force.#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY pic.twitter.com/xNJHAFCWOU
  — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 25, 2020The retail
  
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• All the retailers that have signed up to Marcus Rashford’s food poverty taskforce

  13-11-2020 17:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  In June, Marcus Rashford grabbed headlines and became a national hero after he successfully lobbied the government to provide free school meal vouchers to pupils over the summer holidays.
  Since then, the Manchester United and England striker has teamed up with grocers and food suppliers to form the Child Food Poverty Task Force.Statement from the Child Food Poverty Task Force.#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY pic.twitter.com/xNJHAFCWOU
  — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 25, 2020The retail
  
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• Tesco apologises after booking delays for Christmas deliveries

  13-11-2020 14:43 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco apologises after its website struggled to cope with demand from shoppers booking Christmas delivery slots
  // It had to install an online queue system to help it manage the “high volumes of traffic”
  // Customers took to social media to complain, saying they were being made to wait for hoursTesco has apologised to customers after its website struggled to cope with demand from shoppers seeking to secure Christmas delivery slots.
  The Big 4 giant was forced to install an online q
  
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• Aldi launches 100% recyclable freezer bags

  13-11-2020 14:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Aldi becomes the first UK grocer to launch own-brand 100% recyclable freezer bags
  // They are currently on trial at 230 stores in parts of EnglandAldi has become the first supermarket chain in the UK to launch its own 100 per cent recyclable freezer bag.
  From next week, the bags, which retail at 99p, will be trialled in over 230 stores in parts of the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East, North West and South East of England.
  Aldi said the ‘”eco” freezer bags are made ou
  
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• Big 4 grocers, Aldi & Lidl to net almost £2bn in business rates relief

  13-11-2020 14:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda, Aldi & Lidl set to benefit from almost £2bn in business rates relief this year
  // This represents more than 1/6 of the total £10.1bn business rates bill written off for all businesses during the year
  // At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic the Chancellor announced a business rates holiday until March 2021The UK’s biggest grocery chains are set to benefit from almost £2 billion in business rate tax breaks this year despite
  
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• The Entertainer warns Christmas gifts may not be delivered in time if shops stay shut

  13-11-2020 13:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // The Entertainer CEO Gary Grant warns Xmas presents may not arrive on time if second lockdown is extended
  // He says some stores should open next month so they can meet the spike in demand before Christmas.The boss of the UK’s biggest toy chain has warned that some children’s presents will not arrive in time for Christmas due to a shortage of couriers if shops are kept shut through December.
  The Entertainer chief executive Gary Grant told the PA news agency there “is not enou
  
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• Tesco says sorry over online Christmas delivery queues

  13-11-2020 13:37
  
  Chain says huge demand for delivery pass service forced shoppers to wait for hours to secure a festive slotTesco has apologised after its grocery website was overwhelmed with shoppers trying to book delivery slots for Christmas.Customers complained they had been forced to join an online queue for hours after it opened bookings for Christmas week for shoppers who had signed up to Tesco’s delivery pass subscription service. Related: Proof is in the pudding: M&S and Waitrose win Christmas
  
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• B&M founder defends £44m payout to family trust after sales boom

  13-11-2020 12:31 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // B&M founder Simon Arora has defended a £44m payout to his family trust
  // The retailer declared a special dividend of 25p per share for the 6 months to September
  // B&M has benefited from a business rates relief of £38m during the periodB&M founder Simon Arora has defended a £44 million payout to his family trust after the value retailer posted a 121 per cent rise in half-year pretax profits.
  The retailer declared a special dividend of 25p per share for the
  
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• Amazon accused of discriminating against Black and Hispanic staff in class action lawsuit

  13-11-2020 12:18 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit over accusations that it failed to provide protective equipment for its “predominantly minority” warehouse workers.
  Christian Smalls, who was sacked by the retailer earlier this year after staging a walkout in protest of Amazon’s response to the pandemic, filed proposals for the class action lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court today.
  Smalls is seeking unspecified damages from Amazon, which he has accused of discrimination, violating New Yor
  
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• Majestic Wine opens 200th store

  13-11-2020 12:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Majestic Wine opens 199th store in Beckenham in South London
  // Its 200th store, in Henley, will open November 26
  // Both sites will feature Majestic Wine’s new logo and branding, and will be open during lockdownMajestic Wine is set to open the doors of its 199th and 200th UK stores this month, with both sites to feature the alcohol retailer’s new logo and branding.
  The new sites, located in Beckenham and Henley, will also feature a host of new customer experience initiatives, suc
  
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• EG Group’s owners cash out ahead of £6.8bn Asda deal

  13-11-2020 11:40
  Preference shares sale could help fund buyout of UK supermarket chain
  
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• PS5 chaos continues as Walmart’s website crashes numerous times leaving swathes empty handed

  13-11-2020 11:33 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  PlayStation 5 demand has caused Walmart’s website to crash numerous times leaving swathes of angry shoppers empty handed.
  The US’ largest retailer hoped to make up for chaos that ensued after it released PS5 pre-orders in September, which resulted in shoppers being met with broken links, downed websites and failed orders.
  In an effort to avoid a repeat, Walmart introduced a staggered system in which it would release batches of the console every three hours. 
  Despite this, demand
  
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• Peace and goodwill to all (except pigeons): John Lewis spreads the love with its Christmas advert

  13-11-2020 11:20
  
  It’s got flying hedgehogs, bad haircuts and the return of Moon Hitler, but this year’s TV ad is all about people being nice to each other – well, kind ofClearly, there couldn’t be a normal John Lewis ad this year, because this has been anything but a normal year. There’s a pandemic on, no branches of John Lewis are actually open, and 1,500 of its staff were recently laid off. Indeed, if John Lewis had chosen to lavish millions of pounds on an avalanche of traditiona
  
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• Hotter Shoes owner runs to exit as it plots sale of business

  13-11-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Hotter Shoes owner Electra Private Equity plans to run auction of the business next year
  // The sale process would not go on until Hotter Shoes is able to trade in normal conditions
  // In June, the company launched CVA proposals to decrease its rent billHotter Shoes owner Electra Private Equity has hired bankers at Stifel to run an auction of the business next year.
  The shoe retailer is to be put up for sale months after an emergency restructuring engineered by its owner salvaged hundred
  
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• Asda’s billionaire brother owners sell stake in EG Group

  13-11-2020 09:35 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Asda owners Mohsin and Zuber Issa have attracted global investors
  // The owners have sold shares to an Abu Dhabi sovereign investor and two Canadian pension fundsAsda’s new owners Issa brothers have reportedly offloaded a stake worth hundreds of millions of pounds in their EG Group business.
  The petrol stations giant led by billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, have sold shares to an Abu Dhabi sovereign investor and two Canadian pension funds, Sky News reported.
  The Abu Dhabi
  
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• John Lewis Christmas advert “celebrates kindness” during pandemic

  13-11-2020 09:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis Partnership’s 2020 Christmas advert encourages Brits to “give a little love”
  // The latest Christmas ad highlights the kindness of Brits during the Covid-19 pandemic
  // The partnership said it is aiming to raise £4 million for two charities – FareShare and Home-StartJohn Lewis Partnership has said its latest Christmas advert highlights the kindness of Brits during the Covid-19 pandemic, after questioning whether it would be appropriate to produce an ad
  
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• John Lewis & Waitrose Christmas advert “celebrates kindness” during pandemic

  13-11-2020 09:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis & Waitrose’s 2020 Christmas advert encourages Brits to “give a little love”
  // The latest Christmas ad highlights the kindness of Brits during the Covid-19 pandemic
  // The partnership said it is aiming to raise £4m for two charities – FareShare and Home-StartJohn Lewis Partnership has said its latest Christmas advert highlights the kindness of Brits during the Covid-19 pandemic, after questioning whether it would be appropriate to produce one at al
  
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• Farfetch swings to £402m loss in third quarter

  13-11-2020 08:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Farfetch losses widen during third quarter
  // The number of active customers increased from 1.9 million to 2.7 millionFarfetch has reported widening losses during its third quarter despite a sales rise.
  The luxury retailer saw a $537 million (£402 million) loss after tax during the three months to September 30, compared to a $90.5m loss during the same period last year.
  Revenues during the quarter rose 71 per cent to $438 million, while gross merchandise value increased 62 per cent to $
  
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• Shopping malls need to travel back to the future

  13-11-2020 06:00
  Customers will return to physical stores after the pandemic, but suburban retail boxes are beyond rescue
  
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• Will Covid kill the high street? | FT Film

  13-11-2020 05:59
  
  The FT visits Doncaster in northern England, where retailers say they must adapt to survive
  
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• Will coronavirus kill the high street? | FT Film

  13-11-2020 05:59
  
  The FT visits Doncaster in northern England, where retailers say they must adapt to survive
  
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• John Lewis Christmas ad stars children, snowmen and hip-hop pigeons

  13-11-2020 01:01
  
  Covid edition of annual TV advert focuses on kindness rather than gift-givingCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA hedgehog who hopes to fly, a group of hip-hop pigeons and lots of love hearts are the stars of this year’s pandemic edition of the John Lewis Christmas TV adverts.Over the past decade the retailer’s festive ad has become a big annual TV moment that kicks off the Christmas shopping season. Continue reading...
  
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• WHITEPAPER: How the latest in Workforce Management technology can meet the Retail Sector’s Business Challenges

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Workforce Management Solutions including Time & Attendance, Scheduling and Absence Management give retailers the tools and processes  needed to balance the high cost of labour, tight... View Article
  
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• WH Smith to close 25 stores after reporting full year loss

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  WH Smith has announced that it is to close 25 stores as it reported a group pre-tax loss £226 million for the year to 31 August.... View Article
  
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• Travis Perkins launches virtual bathroom designer apprenticeship

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Travis Perkins has launched a virtual bathroom designer apprenticeship scheme. Part of the company’s 38-strong apprenticeship offering, the programme has been developed to enable people from... View Article
  
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• Quiz collaborates with Vicky Pattison on Christmas collection

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Quiz fashion retailer has teamed up with TV personality Vicky Pattison on a Christmas collection. The new 30-piece range includes knitted casualwear and animal print... View Article
  
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• Q&A: Rich Lowe, CEO, PMC

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Rich joined PMC as CEO in February 2019 from BT Group plc.  He brings significant operational management experience in IT, networking, and software services. Rich previously... View Article
  
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• Poundland rolls out frozen ranges to 100th store

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Poundland has reached a major milestone in the rollout of chilled and frozen food to its stores due to its Widnes shop becaming the 100th store... View Article
  
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• Oak Furnitureland appoints new chief financial officer

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Wood furniture retailer Oak Furnitureland has appointed Emily Tate as its new chief financial officer. Tate previously held the same role at Karen Millen and prior... View Article
  
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• M&S rolls out check-out free shopping to all UK stores

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has rolled out its checkout-free shopping technology ‘Mobile Pay Go’ to all of its UK owned stores following a successful trial. This means... View Article
  
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• Fashion House Outlet Centre Militari opens third phase

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Fashion House Group has opened the third phase of its Fashion House Outlet Centre Militari in Bucharest. The centre’s new 2,600 square metre gallery area is... View Article
  
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• Currys PC World expands Shop Live service to meet Christmas demand

  13-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Currys PC World is predicting that this year will be its biggest ever Christmas online and is expanding its ShopLive service to meet demand. Following temporary... View Article
  
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