Kurt Geiger: Customers will remember retailers’ coronavirus response
Businesses that protect employees and support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic will be rewarded by customers when the crisis is over, according to Kurt Geiger’s chief executive.
“Customers will remember who has done the right thing, and who maybe hasn’t, and we want to be on the right side of that when we come out on the other side,” Neil Clifford told City A.M’s The City View podcast today.
“For our consumers it must be dreadful, to worry about whether you’re going to have a job, are you going to get paid, that’s why we made the commitment that we will protect all of our sales staff for the length of the event,” he said.
All Kurt Geiger’s shop teams are currently still receiving their full salaries, following support from majority shareholder Cinven and Lloyds bank. Clifford has also suspended his salary while the shoe chain’s stores are closed.
Kurt Geiger will also give £5m worth of stock to NHS workers throughout the crisis.
Other retail bosses that have taken a pay cut include Dunelm boss Nick Wilkinson, who has volunteered to take a 90 per cent pay cut, and Primark chief executive Paul Marchant, who has cut his salary in half.
Some supermarkets have also increased staff bonuses and offered NHS staff discounts.
Meanwhile, luxury goods manufacturers such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton owner LVMH have pivoted to producing hospital gowns and hand sanitiser.
However, other retailers have been criticised for their response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley was forced to issue an apology after his firm initially sought to keep stores open, claiming the budget sports retailer was an essential store.