UK bans export of luxury goods to Russia and introduces hiked import tariffs March 15, 2022 The UK has banned the export of luxury goods to Russia, including designer handbags and works of art. The Chancellor also outlined new import tariffs that will represent a 35 percentage point increase on current rates. The fresh tariffs will hit products like Russian vodka, fertiliser and steel. Products no longer allowed to be exported [...]
First Gap shop opens in Next’s Oxford St shop in retailer’s return to UK high street March 14, 2022 The first Gap-branded shop within a Next store has opened on Oxford St, after the two firms entered a joint venture franchise. The fashion retailers have joined forces with Next managing Gap’s e-commerce business plus Gap-branded “shop-in-shops” at Next stores. The opening marks Gap’s physical return to the UK high street after the US retailer [...]
Stansted’s February recovery exceeds November’s but remains behind pre-Covid levels March 11, 2022 Stansted’s owner MAG Airports has reported the airport’s recovery levels in February have surpassed those registered in November. The group said that after the UK Government removed all travel restrictions under the ‘Living with Covid’ plan, passenger numbers reached 1.15m, a 3190.9 per cent surge compared with the same period last year. Levels, though, remained [...]
Supermarkets made hay from restrictions, now they need to consolidate to keep going March 11, 2022 THE rapid grocery delivery sector has grown at a staggering pace across Europe and the US. Two years on from when we first saw Getir, Weezy, Zapp and Gorillas advertised on buses and hoardings across London, data from the ONS revealed the average weekly sales of online groceries in December 2021 were £372m – more [...]
Topps Tiles snags majority stake in online tiling supplier March 10, 2022 Topps Tiles has snagged a majority stake in an online tiling supplier, in a bid to bolster its retail and commercial brands. The London-listed tiling company has acquired a 60 per cent share of the supplier for £5.3m in cash. Chief executive Rob Parker added that the deal also moves the company closer to its [...]
London a £106bn key driver of surging global online sales in wake of pandemic March 10, 2022 London was at the forefront of soaring global online shopping, with record-breaking investment in the capital last year. As the world emerged from the pandemic, retailers took in more than $140bn (£106bn) from web-based sales in 2021 – more than double the previous year. Following numerous lockdowns which led to a spike in virtual shopping, [...]
The City View: US and UK boycott Russian oil, and Susannah Streeter and Michael Hewson on inflationary pressure March 8, 2022 Today Andy Silvester sits down for a chat with Hargreaves Lansdowns’ Susannah Streeter and CMC Markets’ Michael Hewson. They discuss trading being suspended on the London Metal Exchange after a record price spike in nickel; the Bank of England assessing inflationary pressures; and a whole mélange of financial woes for Brits as energy bills, taxes, [...]
Pi Labs unveils $90m fund to target ‘proptech’ startups March 8, 2022 London-based venture capital firm Pi Labs has unveiled a new $90m fund today as it looks to supercharge its investment into real estate tech startups.
Fuel be sorry: Record petrol prices could hurt retail sector warn experts March 7, 2022 Experts suggest record prices at the pumps could hurt the retail sector and potentially stall the UK's ecommerce boom.
Zara and Burberry shut shops in Russia while John Lewis looks to ‘mitigate exposure’ to country March 6, 2022 Fashion powerhouses have halted trading in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, citing “operational challenges”. Luxury goods maker Burberry has temporarily shuttered its three stores in Russia, The Times reported. According to the newspaper, the designer brand’s spokesperson said Burberry would continue to monitor developments and declined to address the invasion directly. It comes after [...]