All Policy & legal articles – Page 56
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NewsSunak ponders online sales tax to raise £2bn
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering an online sales tax to raise £2bn a year and level the playing field between digital and high street businesses.
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AnalysisBorrowed time: Is retail hurtling towards a credit crunch?
When the government shut all non-essential retail stores in March many businesses were forced to increase borrowing to simply stay afloat. But are these levels of debt unsustainable? Retail Week looks at whether retail is facing a ticking liquidity time bomb.
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AnalysisThe Big Question: What should the government do to stop retail job losses?
Marks & Spencer this week became the latest big retailer to cut jobs. M&S will cut 950 roles, adding to the recent toll at retailers including John Lewis and Boots. Industry experts offer their views on what the government could be doing to stem the tide of lost jobs.
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NewsFrasers Group accused of paying warehouse staff below minimum wage
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has again been accused of paying warehouse workers below minimum wage for the second time in five years.
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NewsGovernment issues new guidance on face coverings in England
The government has issued its full guidance on mandatory face covering in shops in England, less than 12 hours before the rules are due to come into force.
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Opinion‘Retail hasn’t been left behind by the government – it’s evolving’
On the back of the government’s latest economic update, I’ve read some people saying that retail has gotten used to being ignored by set pieces from chancellors, past and present.
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NewsFrasers Group hits out at business rates revaluation delay
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has hit out at the government, saying it looks on with “anguish and bewilderment” at its decision to delay the next business rates revaluation until 2023.
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Opinion‘Retail can ill afford another business rates review that fizzles out’
As night follows day, the beginning of another financial year also brings another government review into business rates reform. However, with the sector reeling from the coronavirus, this latest call for evidence gives reasons for optimism.
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NewsHigh streets could become housing hubs amid online shift, think tank says
Struggling UK high streets could be transformed into residential hubs as the shift to online shopping accelerates, a prominent think tank has suggested.
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AnalysisDispatch: How Saudi Arabia’s VAT rise sparked a retail sales boom
As coronavirus takes its toll on economies and businesses across the globe, Retail Week brings you regular dispatches from international retailers and experts, who provide their insights into how they are coping with the pandemic.
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NewsGovernment opens call for evidence on business rates reform
The government has launched a call for evidence on possible future reform of the existing business rates system.
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NewsDelivery firm Hermes to create 10,500 jobs to capitalise on UK ecommerce boom
Delivery giant Hermes has said it plans to create some 10,500 jobs in the UK after seeing a surge in demand from people shopping at home during the coronavirus lockdown.
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NewsWeek five of trading post-lockdown – the data you need to know
While footfall increased for the fifth straight week since non-essential stores were allowed to reopen, the level of increase appears to be tapering off and is still well short of normal levels.
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NewsHuawei makes UK retail debut with launch of three stores
Huawei is ploughing £10m investment into the launch of three stores on UK high streets over the next year, creating 100 new jobs.
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NewsAsos and Next call for government action on UK worker exploitation
Fashion retailers including M&S and Missguided, alongside 50 MPs, have written to the Home Secretary urging that action be taken to address exploitation in the UK fashion supply chain.
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NewsBoohoo shares bounce back after co-founders plough £15m into brand
The co-founders of fast-fashion giant Boohoo have bought another £15m worth of shares in a bid to stop the share price from falling any further.
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NewsBFC calls on government support to save fashion industry
The British Fashion Council has warned the government of the “stark reality” of the pandemic on the sector, wiping out all growth from the last decade and costing hundreds of thousands of jobs.
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AnalysisThe Big Question: Should fashion retailers stop sourcing in Leicester?
Leicester is in the spotlight again following allegations of unsafe working conditions and suppliers paying below minimum wage with links to Boohoo and Quiz. Industry experts weigh in on whether it is time for fashion to pack up in Leicester or double down on tackling the problems.
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NewsMPs challenge Boohoo for ‘turning a blind eye’ to Leicester sweatshops
In a letter sent to Boohoo founders Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane, MPs have called out Boohoo for falsely claiming no knowledge of the illegal working practices in their Leicester supply chain.
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Opinion‘Retailers must seize Covid opportunity to radically restructure’
The need to transform to keep pace with consumer demands and habits is a never-ending narrative in UK retail.