Fossil fuel fashion: half of clothing made from non-recycled plastic, think tank says June 11, 2021 Half of fast-fashion items sold by online brands like Boohoo and Missguided, are made solely from non-recycled plastics, a think-tank has said today. Think tank Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) urged the government to impose a new tax on such clothing made from non-recycled plastic like polyester. Income from the suggested clothing [...]
Boohoo to link £150m bonus pot for directors to supply chain improvements May 19, 2021 Boohoo plans to link multimillion-pound bonuses for its directors with improvements in its supply chain following allegations of poor working conditions and corporate governance. The online retailer faced criticism from investors last year over its long-term incentive scheme, which could see founders and directors paid up to £150m. Boohoo has said it will now link [...]
It’s all over: Debenhams’ 243-year history ends today as final 28 stores close for good May 15, 2021 Today, Debenhams is to shut its doors for the final time in its 243-year history. The historic department store chain will close its remaining 28 stores across the UK for good tomorrow after the company collapsed amid the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. It closed 21 other sites across the UK for the final time [...]
Carphone Warehouse, Currys PC World and Dixons Carphone to disappear in huge Currys rebrand May 13, 2021 Electricals retailer Dixons Carphone has revealed plans to rename all its UK and Ireland shops as Currys as part of a major rebrand. The group said Currys PC World, Carphone Warehouse, Team Knowhow and Dixons Carphone will all become Currys by October, with a new Currys website also set to be launched. It will see [...]
Boohoo’s profits surged during the pandemic – do the fast fashion giants really need social responsibility? May 13, 2021 Last week, Boohoo reported a surge in profits despite damaging revelations about its supply chain and poor treatment of workers. As the world of retail pivots towards social responsibility, the bumper results could be seen as consumers rejecting the importance of brands’ embracing purpose. While Boohoo was able to reap in revenue, it is still [...]
Secondary fundraising by retailers nears £2bn as firms eye M&A opportunities May 10, 2021 Listed retail companies have raised nearly £2bn in the past year as they sought to strengthen their balance sheets amid the pandemic. Now, they are starting to eye M&A opportunities. In recent years, listed firms in the UK have relied less on the public markets with private equity firms often considered a more attractive option. [...]
Shopper numbers surge as stores reopen but retail footfall lags behind pre-pandemic levels May 6, 2021 The number of shoppers visiting UK retail destinations surged last month as non-essential stores were able to reopen for the first time in months. However, despite the spike caused by the lifting of lockdown restrictions, retail footfall in April remained 32.7 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. It was an improvement from the [...]
FTSE 100 ends the day on a high while Dow hits new record May 5, 2021 Heavyweight mining stocks pushed the FTSE 100 higher today while Wall Street opened higher on strong jobs data as the Dow Jones hit a record high. The blue-chip index closed 1.68 per cent higher, buoyed by chemicals group Croda’s shares soaring towards the top of the index after it announced a business review assessment. The [...]
High street decline May 5, 2021 With high streets in turmoil and recovery slow, high street graveyards are becoming a common sight across the UK. The past 12 months have not been easy for the vast majority of companies, in particular for those without an online platform. However, the struggle of the high street is not a new problem. Rewind a few years [...]
Barclays to offer climate vote to investors next year May 5, 2021 Barclays will offer investors a vote on its climate policy at next year’s investor meeting after pressure from activists and shareholders to become greener. The bank will devise extra climate targets in consultation with shareholders, its chairman Nigel Higgins told a webcast investor meeting today. Barclays set itself a target in March 2020 to reach [...]