Pandemic cycling boom drives growth at Halfords January 14, 2021 Halfords saw sales growth of nearly 12 per cent in the third quarter, boosted by a pandemic-driven rise in cycling. Growth in Halford’s cycling department jumped more than 35 per cent in the third quarter, boosted by a surge in sales for cycling products, e-bikes and e-scooters. The firm’s performance cycling business Tredz grew more [...]
Food packaging giant Hilton thrives as pandemic changes eating habits January 14, 2021 Hilton Food Group has surpassed expectations with a continuation of strong sales and volume growth, according to a trading update released today. The group’s success was driven by their own expansion as well as the shift to home consumption throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Hilton made strong progress across several European markets, benefitting from people eating [...]
Us versus them will do nobody any good on the High Street January 14, 2021 While a new year symbolises a fresh start for many, you could be forgiven for thinking you had been planted in the film Groundhog Day but instead the calendar was stuck in 2020. Perhaps nowhere is this more the case than in the retail and hospitality industry, with Lord Sugar’s legal challenge to the planned [...]
UK high streets to ‘lose up to 40 per cent of stores’ due to pandemic January 14, 2021 Up to 40 per cent of high street shops could be forced to close due to the impact of the shift to remote-working and online shopping, the latest analysis showed, in the latest blow to the struggling UK retail sector. A report published this morning by professional services giant KPMG said UK high streets could [...]
Sazka taps former Sainsbury’s boss Justin King for National Lottery bid January 14, 2021 European lottery group Sazka has tapped former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King to advise on its bid for the UK National Lottery licence. King, a veteran retail executive who also serves as vice chairman of private equity firm Terra Firma, is the first appointment to a new advisory board working on Sazka’s tender. He will [...]
Brits put Dry January on ice as alcohol sales boom in first week of latest lockdown January 13, 2021 Brits have seemingly given up on Dry January this year as supermarket alcohol sales have soared in the first week of lockdown. The month-long stint of alcohol abstinence has been put on hold for many people, according to the latest Waitrose sales figures. The grocer said wine sales are up 27 per cent and beer [...]
JD Sports in talks with Authentic Brands over potential Topshop bid January 13, 2021 JD Sports is reportedly in talks with Authentic Brands, the US owner of Barneys department store, about a potential bid for Topshop following the collapse of Sir Philip Green’s retail empire Arcadia. The firms are in early-stage discussions about a partnership, which would see JD Sports running the operations of an Authentic Brands-owned Topshop, Sky [...]
How retail can survive in a post-Covid world January 13, 2021 This has been a momentous year for us all. The retail sector has been at the forefront of many of the changes and challenges that have arisen as a result of Covid. While physical stores have spent much of the year closed, the pandemic has driven innovation and fuelled a huge acceleration in what were [...]
Debenhams closes six stores including Oxford Street flagship January 13, 2021 Debenhams has permanently closed six department stores, including its flagship site in Oxford Street, due to the third national lockdown. The retailer had planned to reopen the stores to sell off remaining stock, but the introduction of new Covid-19 restrictions means that sites where it was unable to secure lease extensions will close. The closures [...]
Debate: Should Primark open an online store? January 13, 2021 Overnight opening hours, queue-management systems and lashings of promotions – Primark did everything it could to keep its customers happy amid a year of on/off lockdown restrictions. But with parent company Associated British Food’s trading update out this week, is it time for the High Street phenomenon to go digital, too? Kam Phullar, Lead Strategist [...]