Supermarkets urge shoppers to keep masks on after 19 July July 15, 2021 Supermarkets are urging customers to continue wearing masks even after 19 July, when they will no longer be a legal requirement in England. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that from Monday 19 July, dubbed ‘Freedom Day’, almost all pandemic restrictions will be lifted including the legal requirement to wear masks. Instead the public will [...]
Exclusive: Soho Street Cocktails raises fresh funds with two supermarket chains running trials July 15, 2021 Pre-mixed drinks maker Soho Street Cocktails is raising a new round of funding through private equity firm Growthdeck, Morning Wire can reveal. The funds raised through Growthdeck will be used for Soho Street Cocktails’ core strategy of growing sales through retailers and in bars and restaurants, as well as continuing to increase its production. Soho Street Cocktails sells pre-mixed, bar-quality cocktail pouches to [...]
Job vacancies rise above pre-pandemic levels after lockdown measures eased July 15, 2021 UK job vacancies rose to above pre-pandemic levels for the first time in 15 months, as average wages showed signs of growth. New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed 862,000 job vacancies in April to June this year. The figure is almost 10 per cent higher than January to March before the [...]
Iceland boss warns of “pingdemic” chaos July 15, 2021 The managing director of the supermarket warns the government of urgent staff shortage challenges for businesses caused by a “broken” test and trace system, as “Freedom Day” approaches. Richard Walker said that despite fewer covid deaths and hospitalisations, he was facing the greatest pandemic challenges to running the frozen foods grocer yet, in a Daily [...]
Sale rates soar for online retailer ASOS July 15, 2021 Online fashion giant ASOS saw sales continue to skyrocket despite physical competitors re-opening, per the firm’s latest market update. UK sales increased 60 per cent for the retailer in the four months to the end of June, with active customers growing by a further 1.2m. Chief executive officer Nick Beighton said, “ASOS has delivered another [...]
Boohoo to bolster Debenhams stores and e-commerce sites in the Middle East July 14, 2021 Boohoo, which bought Debenhams for £55m, has partnered with the Alshaya group to bolster the ex-high street staple’s presence in the Middle East. Kuwait-based Alshaya, which currently run Debenhams stores in shopping malls, will have exclusive rights to operate the Debenhams stores and local e-commerce sites in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Oman and [...]
Upper Crust owner SSP’s boss to step down at end of the year July 14, 2021 Upper Crust and Ritazza owner SSP today said that chief executive Simon Smith would leave the firm at the end of the year. The firm said that Smith was departing to join a private equity-backed firm. SSP has started the search for a successor for Smith, who joined the business in 2014 and became chief [...]
Robust reopening for Dunelm as firm plans investment July 14, 2021 Homewares retailer Dunelm today reported strong growth as it bounced back from coronavirus retail restrictions, with profits slightly ahead of forecasts. Despite this outlook, shares in the Leicester-based company fell around 3 per cent this morning. Sales more than doubled in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2020, when the UK was [...]
Baked goods group Finsbury Food knocked by Covid delays but still marked growth July 14, 2021 Baked goods group Finsbury Food has ended its financial year with raised revenues despite being struck by Covid-19 unlocking delays, bringing in some £313.3m in total revenue. The group’s results in the second half of the year faired slightly better, as consumers had more spending confidence as they eyed restrictions easing, with revenues up 9.1 [...]
Test and trace: One in five High Street workers now in self-isolation July 13, 2021 Hospitality and retail chiefs warned MPs today that a record one in five high street workers are self-isolating due to government pandemic tracing rules, and the situation could worsen. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade group UKHospitality, told MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee that firms have forecast that a third of [...]