Haulage firm Wincanton sees shares jump on home delivery surge September 9, 2020 Shares in logistics firm Wincanton jumped over 10 per cent this morning as the haulage specialist said that full year profit was on course to be “materially ahead” of forecasts. In a trading update, the FTSE 250 firm said that it had seen a “continued improvement in profitability in July and August, with a particularly [...]
The nation’s health is priority number one, but we must continue the great work we’ve done to reduce plastics use August 28, 2020 Recent government figures revealed that since the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge, new carrier bag sales have fallen by 59 per cent in the past year in England’s major supermarkets. This translates to shoppers buying, on average, just four new bags per year compared to 10 the previous year. This is a significant [...]
Waitrose launches Deliveroo trial as Ocado partnership ends August 28, 2020 Waitrose has launched a partnership with Deliveroo as its deal with online supermarket Ocado comes to an end. The grocer said that more than 500 products will be available to order through Deliveroo as part of an initial 12 week trial. Customers will be able to order from stores in Bracknell and Clifton from Tuesday, [...]
Ocado finance chief steps down due to ‘family circumstances’ August 27, 2020 Ocado’s finance chief will step down after eight years with the online supermarket, citing family circumstances as the reason for his departure. Duncan Tatton-Brown, who was appointed as Ocado’s chief financial officer in 2012, will leave the role in November, but will continue as a non-executive director. Tatton-Brown said family circumstances meant that it is [...]
UK firms cut more than 106,000 jobs amid coronavirus pandemic August 19, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has battered the UK economy since it arrived in early 2020 – and no sector has remained unscathed, with more than 100,000 job cuts planned during the pandemic. The government’s furlough scheme has allowed millions of people to keep getting a paycheck, but fears are growing that when this is phased out [...]
Supermarket visits fall on coronavirus face mask rules August 18, 2020 British shoppers paid fewer visits to supermarkets in the wake of new rules making face masks mandatory, new data has revealed. The number of visits to UK supermarkets was 2m lower than expected in the week after the rule was adopted, according to Kantar. Charlotte Scott, Kantar’s consumer insight director, said the decline showed people [...]
Ocado lists M&S products ahead of delivery partnership launch August 5, 2020 Marks & Spencer has begun listing products on the Ocado website ahead of their delivery partnership, which is scheduled to begin next month. The supermarket has added more than 750 new products, which will be available to buy through the Ocado website from 1 September. However M&S warned customers that it may not be possible [...]
John Lewis may convert department stores into affordable housing July 30, 2020 John Lewis is considering converting some of its store estate into housing in an attempt to strengthen its services business as the high street battles the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The retailer, which owns the department store chain and Waitrose, said it is exploring the concept of new mixed-use affordable housing with third parties. [...]
The Boohoo scandal shouldn’t shock anyone — modern slavery is a pandemic July 21, 2020 No brand today should be “shocked and appalled” at what happens in its own supply chain, as fast fashion brand Boohoo recently claimed to be. To know so little about the sourcing, processes and practices involved in creating a product you sell should be a crime itself. Tales of UK-based sweat shops and modern slavery [...]
Retail restraint: John Lewis and Primark decline government help to play the long game July 16, 2020 For retail, the story of Covid-19 has been one of survival. Inevitably, the sector has looked to the government for assistance. Even the most hardened devotee of the free market has seen the Treasury’s coffers as a life belt to help companies get through the worst of the pandemic. Change and adaptation can come later. [...]