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Consumer confidence: contact, controls and connections
We asked Laura Saunter from trend forecasting giant WGSN (by Ascential) to give her insights on what’s next for consumer behaviour in light of Covid-19. WGSN is the world’s leading consumer and design trend authority, serving the fashion and creative industries with market leading products.
Read moreThe clock is ticking very loudly
Brexit may have taken a backseat over the last few months whilst governments and businesses have responded to the impact of Covid-19, but as the final deadline to request an extension to the transition deadline has now passed, Brexit is back fighting for top spot on the agenda. We get an insight from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on key issues for the retail sector.
Read moreRoundup of ASA guidance on advertising responsibly in relation to COVID-19
Retailers seeking to reference the Covid-19 pandemic in their advertising should be aware of the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) recent guidance and robust enforcement activity in this area.
Read moreReturn of the MAC (clauses) and practical steps for the retail world
The Covid-19 crisis is putting Material Adverse Change (or material adverse effect) (MAC) clauses back in the spotlight, none more so than in the world of retail.
Read moreForce majeure in a retail context in light of COVID-19
In general commercial contracts, force majeure clauses can often be overlooked as standard ‘boilerplate’ with little negotiation between the parties. Covid-19 and the disruption caused to businesses has highlighted how important these clauses can be for all types of commercial agreements and we anticipate that there will be significant focus on force majeure wording going forwards.
Read moreConsumers return to retail. The retail story in China…where are things now?
Globally, the retail sector has been heavily impacted by Covid-19. As the epicentre for the outbreak of the virus in January 2020. China is now one of the first economies showing signs of recovery, and retailers are looking to understand the pattern there, in order to help predict how retail will recover (and how long it will take to do so) following enforced store closures and restrictions on people’s daily lives.
Read moreLivestream shopping: making platform partnerships a success
Livestream shopping is a live shopping event – think QVC - hosted by a brand on its own, or a third party website/mobile app. Usually, a celebrity, social media influencer or brand worker demonstrates a product and answers questions from a digital audience in real-time. Viewers are able to immediately purchase the item from an embedded link online. Just like presenters on QVC, livestreaming hosts sell a wide range of products, from apparel and cosmetics to electronics and even cars. In China, live streaming is a wildly popular way to shop, with the market worth an estimated US$63bn to its economy in 2019. (but the technology is starting to catch on in the US and UK too). The first major livestream shopping player emerged in China in 2016 when Alibaba first launched Taobao Live. Since then, platforms like Tmall, Douyin or Xiaohongshu have become key Chinese e-commerce sites and saw a big spike in demand during lockdown as shoppers were forced to shop from home
Read moreRetail returns in light of COVID-19
Many retail businesses have reopened/are preparing to reopen as the Covid-19 lockdown eases. Whilst retailers hope that sales will surge as consumers rush to the shops that they have been unable to visit since March, some fear that a large percentage of transactions will be returns of goods purchased pre-lockdown.
Read moreStores in focus; reopenings, safety and single use (plastic) setback
With stores reopened, retailers face an unprecedented operational challenge in delivering the retail experience.
Read moreFurlough fraud and Government clawback: managing the risk
HMRC has the right to go back up to five years when considering businesses’ (including retailers’) records relating to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the “furlough scheme”) and will be able to clawback funds which have been claimed in error, or fraudulently, under new powers contained in the Finance Bill 2020, which is expected to become law in the latter half of 2020.
Read moreFurlough forecast: What kind of employment law claims are on the horizon?
As retail workforces continue to be re-organised, what kind of employment claims could be brought by employees in the coming months, in light of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (or furlough scheme) and what can you do in anticipation?
Read moreTemporary COVID-19 measures in respect of AGMs and other general meetings
The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA), which came into force on 26 June 2020, provides temporary measures which enable companies to comply with their legal requirements on holding annual general meetings (AGMs) and other meetings whilst still respecting social distancing legislation and guidance.
Read moreUK Government introduces “suspension” of wrongful trading provisions
In March 2020, Business Secretary Alok Sharma announced that provisions on wrongful trading would be suspended. The move came as part of a wider package of measures that sought to provide assistance to businesses – and their beleaguered boards – experiencing financial distress due to Covid-19. Now set out in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA), which was passed on 26 June 2020, the provisions adapt the wrongful trading regime making directors’ liability for the “relevant period” unlikely.
Read moreCorporate Insolvency and Governance Act – Supplier Terms
On 26 June 2020 the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act (CIGA) came into force. The CIGA has made both permanent and short-term changes to the insolvency regime in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences.
Read moreThe ASA bites back – Burger King 'Rebel Whopper' ads ruled to be misleading and in breach of advertising rules
At the start of the year, Veganuary hit the headlines, with the British public challenged to ditch animal by-products in favour of a plant-based diet for the month of January.
Read moreGive retailers a break, lawyers tell creditors
Lawyers have called for a break on winding-up petitions against retailers as they fail to pay creditors due to the outbreak. So far, retailers have been hit with 52 winding-up petitions since the beginning of the year, with the numbers accelerating since the coronavirus outbreak took hold, according to lawyers at RPC.
Read moreCould I mitigate my losses by using my premises for other purposes?
With the inevitable impact of the coronavirus on retail businesses, many will be looking to mitigate their losses. One obvious way of doing this would be to use their premises, often their single largest overhead, for other uses. But is this possible and what must you consider?
Read moreCOVID-19: The groceries sector - temporary competition law exemption comes into force
In light of "exceptional and compelling reasons of public policy" arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Secretary of State (the "SoS") has announced temporary competition law arrangements in the groceries sector.
Read moreChanging retail landscape leads to decline in employee numbers
The retail sector continues to face change and challenge from every conceivable angle and employment within the sector is following this trend.
Read moreFixing Fast Fashion: Parliament aims to put the brakes on retailers
'Fast fashion' has been providing inexpensive, up to date styles to the mass market for decades, keeping the consumer both on trend, and in the black. However, as society becomes increasingly aware of the environmental and social impact of the retail sector, Parliament has thrown a spotlight upon the sustainability of 'fast fashion' and the modern retailing practices which underpin it.
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