Retail sales fall to lowest level in two years as inflation bites November 17, 2023 Retail sales volumes have fallen for the second month in a row — slumping to their lowest level since 2021— as consumers continued to feel the impact of inflation, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showed. Sales volumes fell 0.3 per cent month-on-month in October and 2.7 per cent year-on-year. However, consumers are spending more. [...]
Retailers ‘relieved’ as shops get green light to open before Christmas November 23, 2020 The Prime Minister has announced that non-essential stores in England can reopen next month, in what retailers hope will provide a lifeline for the high street in the run-up to Christmas. In a statement in the House of Commons this afternoon, Boris Johnson confirmed that stores that were forced to close during the coronavirus lockdown [...]
Apprentice star Kathryn Burn: Royal Mail strikes ‘complete nightmare’ for small businesses December 15, 2022 The Apprentice star and small business owner Kathryn Burn has said the Royal Mail strikes are a “complete nightmare” for retailers and accused posties of being “almost greedy.” Burn, who owns the My Christmas Pyjamas and Pyjamily brands, told CityA.M. that protracted industrial action over retail’s ‘golden quarter’ had “made my job very, very hard.” [...]
Toy stores demand to reopen or risk ‘allowing Covid to steal Christmas’ November 19, 2020 Toy stores have urged the Prime Minister to allow their shops to open as essential businesses during lockdown, or risk allowing “Covid to steal Christmas”. In a letter to Boris Johnson, toy industry chiefs warned that without bricks and mortar trade during November and December many stores will be forced to close permenantly. British Toy [...]
Strikes: Thousands of nurses to walk out again in January as ambulance strike date called off December 23, 2022 Nurses will once again walk out over pay next year while ambulance worker union heads have called off strike action scheduled for next week. Nurses will strike on 18 and 19 January and further dates will be confirmed next year, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had “left us [...]
Grocery sales on track for bumper Christmas after reaching record high in November December 8, 2020 November was the largest month ever for the UK’s grocery market as out of home socialising was restricted by a second national lockdown, figures show. Market researcher Kantar said grocery sales rose 11.3 per cent in the 12 months to 29 November and climbed 13.9 per cent year-on-year in the last four weeks. Last month [...]
Tesco adds £1bn in online sales as customers splash out over Christmas period January 14, 2021 Tesco added an extra £1bn in online sales in the run-up to Christmas as new lockdown measures accelerated the shift to digital shopping. The supermarket said online sales growth surged more than 80 per cent in the 19 weeks to 9 January, and orders have continued to grow after the festive season. Tesco broke its [...]
I won’t let the government cancel Christmas — will you? October 29, 2020 It is hard to believe that just weeks ago, there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel. The autumn sun was bringing people out of the house and back into offices, shops, restaurants and bars. But the period of positive convalescence for the mental, physical and economic trauma this country has been [...]
Asda sales growth slows but grocer forecasts bumper online Christmas November 17, 2020 Asda’s sales growth slowed in the third quarter as lockdown restrictions lifted and hospitality businesses reopened, the supermarket announced this morning as it said customers are already stocking up for a “very different” Christmas this year. The grocer’s like-for-like sales excluding fuel were up 2.7 per cent in the three months ended 30 September, compared [...]
Mike Ashely’s Frasers Group raises stake in Boohoo to 22 per cent January 18, 2024 Mike Ashely’s Frasers Group has upped its stake in Boohoo again, taking it from 17 per cent to over 22 per cent. Shares in the fast fashion firm leaped over three per cent this morning as investors responded positively to the news. Frasers, formerly called Sports Direct, said over the summer its purchase of Boohoo [...]