Retail body accuses government on inaction on garment worker abuse October 11, 2020 The trade body for the UK retail sector has said that the government has carried out no “significant action” to protect textile workers from exploitaiton. In a letter to home secretary Priti Patel, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said: “Despite numerous reports in the media, and a previous letter to the home secretary signed by [...]
AO World revenue surges as customers continue online shopping post-lockdown August 20, 2020 Online electrical retailer AO World said today its revenue surged in the months during and after the easing of coronavirus lockdowns as demand for its products and services was sustained even after its rivals reopened stores in July. The company said year-on-year revenue in the UK jumped 58.9 per cent to £401.3m and 91.5 per [...]
Seven online jobs to consider this August August 20, 2020 With a spate of redundancy and hiring freezes, and many offices likely to be locked up until 2021, we’ve seen a huge surge in job seekers searching for “online” and “remote” opportunities this summer. Offering increased flexibility and the chance to work from home around other commitments, online jobs can be a perfect solution for [...]
Asos shares jump as profit forecast raised due to online shopping boom August 12, 2020 Shares in fast fashion retailer Asos jumped this morning after it announced that full-year sales and profit are expected to beat forecasts due to an online shopping boom during the UK coronavirus lockdown. Asos said revenue growth is expected to be between 17 per cent and 19 per cent, with profit before tax of around [...]
Ted Baker shares spike as retailer reports Covid resilience July 21, 2020 Ted Baker shares swelled more than 10 per cent this morning, as the British fashion retailer reported a resilient balance sheet in the 11 weeks to 18 July, with strong online sales as shoppers were forced to turn to their screens during lockdown. The lifestyle brand saw a 35 per cent increase in e-commerce sales [...]
Klarna restricts lending rules during lockdown July 20, 2020 Fintech lender Klarna said it has tightened its lending criteria during the coronavirus pandemic. Its vice president Luke Griffiths said Klarna is only accepting new customers that it believes will repay on time, and is increasing the frequency with which it reviews its acceptance criteria. “[Klarna’s] default rate is less than one per cent and [...]
Fast fashion firms Asos and Missguided call for action on UK worker exploitation July 20, 2020 Fast fashion retailers Asos and Missguided have called for urgent government action over the exploitation at UK clothing factories, after rival e-commerce firm Boohoo was embroiled in a scandal over the treatment of workers in Leicester. In a letter to home secretary Priti Patel, a group of retailers, MPs and investors, including Allianz Global Investors, [...]
Markets live: FTSE 100 and US stocks soar as vaccine optimism builds July 15, 2020 The FTSE 100 doubled its gains on Wednesday as investor optimism about a coronavirus vaccine grew stronger, also fuelling US and European stocks. London’s blue-chip index climbed as high as 6,241 as it opened trading this morning, following positive trial results of a Moderna vaccine. By 1.30pm the FTSE 100 was up 2.07 per cent [...]
Coronavirus eats into Finsbury Food revenue as sales sink during lockdown July 15, 2020 Cake manufacturer Finsbury Food Group said it expects annual sales to dip slightly in 2020 as a plunge in sales during the second half of the year during the coronavirus crisis diluted progress made last year. The bakery group said second half sales slumped as a result of the national lockdown, with sales sinking 24 [...]
Burberry shares sink as it warns of ‘continued coronavirus impact’ July 15, 2020 Burberry shares sank more than seven per cent this morning as sales slumped 45 per cent during lockdown and the group warned that it will “take time” to recover from the severe impact of coronavirus. The British fashion staple said it sees no immediate end in sight to dented sales, as the pandemic continues to [...]