Research has revealed that a colossal 92% of UK adults have changed their shopping habits due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with e-commerce emerging as retail’s biggest lockdown driver. We’re shopping more online during working hours than previously (13%), with a quarter of Brits (25%) across all age ranges understandably buying items online they’d previously bought […]
On 23 March, the government stepped up measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, including the temporary closure of all business premises deemed non-essential. Essential retailers, such as pharmacies, DIY shops and supermarkets, and those trading online have been transforming their business practices to protect staff and customers. This includes implementing social distancing measures inside […]
Today’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) retail sales estimates for March have confirmed dire forecasts for the future of the High Street. The UK home delivery specialist ParcelHero predicted on 4 March, three weeks before the lockdown, that the coronavirus outbreak would result in online sales snatching a record amount of the overall retail market. […]
Food and drink businesses defied an overall drop in UK exports during the first quarter of 2020 as supply chain disruption and international efforts to combat coronavirus hit overseas sales of goods and services, according to the Lloyds Bank International Trade Index. The Index, compiled in partnership with IHS Markit saw UK manufacturing exports fall […]
Research from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, reveals that community spirit and support for local businesses is flourishing amidst the challenging circumstances brought about by coronavirus. The findings show that four in 10 (41%) Brits have checked in on vulnerable neighbours to see if they need help […]
The Forum of Private business is showcasing one of its members Boxed Red Marketing, who have created a virtual Knutsford High Street (www.knutsfordhighstreet.co.uk) to support the local community in which both businesses are based. This has been done in partnership with the Town Council and local community. The virtual high street website is an online […]
Covering the five weeks 1 March – 4 April 2020 UK Footfall decreased by 44.7% in March, due to the mandatory lockdown. This was, of course, a record decline for the industry that has seen unprecedented challenges during the month. In the three weeks prior to the lockdown (23rd March), UK Footfall saw an average […]
The UK Statistics Authority and HM Treasury have today announced that they will be extending the time period for the current joint consultation on the future of the Retail Prices Index, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With businesses and individuals focused on mitigating the challenges that this public health and economic emergency has […]
Data from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, reveals that spending on essential items rose by 11.6%. Supermarket purchases drove much of this growth, with the category increasing by 21.3%, while fuel saw a 4.2% decline as the roads became quieter. Spending on non-essentials was down 12.9%, with […]
Covering the five weeks 1 March – 4 April 2020 On a total basis, sales decreased by 4.3% in March, against a decrease of 1.8% in March 2019*. This is the worst decline recorded since our monitor began in January 1995, excluding distortions. It is below the 3-month and 12-month average declines of 1.4% and […]
