Retailers

Jul- 2020 -

17 July

Pet trade must refocus on small animals, says retailer

A retailer that specialises in guinea pigs has called on the industry to change its “archaic” approach to small animals. HayPigs has warned that the industry must take more “responsibility” in educating owners about caring for small animals at the point of purchase, after warning that “hundreds” of guinea pigs…

16 July

Usdaw welcomes compulsory wearing of face coverings in shops

Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed the mandatory wearing of face coverings in shops, but warns that it can only be effective alongside existing social distancing and hygiene procedures. Earlier this week wearing a face covering in retail shops and supermarkets will be made compulsory from the 24 July. It…

15 July

Bestpets named ‘wholesaler of the year’

Bestpets has been voted “wholesaler of the year” in the Pet Product Marketing Retailer Recommended Awards 2020, for the second consecutive year. The voting was open for a month supported by a campaign in Pet Product Marketing magazine as well as online channels. In addition, Bestpets previously claimed victory at…

15 July

Pet shop targeted by vandals

A pet shop was targeted by vandals last weekend, with Lincolnshire Police now calling for information regarding the incident. Vandals smashed in the front windows of the Louth-based Potty About Pets store. The incident reportedly took place at about 10.10pm last Saturday evening (11 July). Owner Meg Johnson told the…

10 July

Usdaw ‘disappointed’ PM fails to back shop worker protection law

Retail trade union Usdaw has criticised the prime minister for failing to back a new law to protect shop workers from violence. The trade union has called for a firm commitment from the government to take all available actions to tackle the issue. The news comes as Usdaw revealed one…

9 July

Bira ‘disappointed’ mini-budget does ‘not help indie retailers’

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has expressed its “disappointment” that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s mini-budget does not “directly help retail business owners”. Sunak announced a raft of further measures to support the recovery of the economy following the coronavirus lockdown, in Parliament yesterday (8 July). Features of the budget included…

8 July

Government to crack down on violence against shopworkers

The government has vowed to crack down on violence and abuse against shopworkers. In a statement, yesterday the Home Office said it will work with National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) on a best practice guide to support staff in reporting these crimes, strengthening and making full use of existing…

7 July

Usdaw urges chancellor to announce retail recovery plan

Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on the chancellor to announce in Wednesday’s (8 June) economic statement an “urgent recovery plan” for the “struggling retail industry”, which is developed with trade unions and retail employers. Some of the factors, Usdaw is urging the government to cover fundamental business rates, an…

3 July

Face masks in Scottish shops mandatory from 10 July

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that shoppers will be required to wear face masks from 10 July. Last week, we reported that retailers in Scotland were being asked to display a poster at their entrance requesting shoppers to wear face coverings. However, wearing face masks in shops has…

2 July

Increased road closures ‘detrimental’ to high street trade, says Bira

Increasing numbers of road closures are a further barrier for shoppers to return to the high street, says the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira). Bira is raising concerns after members in coastal resorts highlighted the problem when roads were closed as “tourists flocked to beaches during lockdown last week”. Andrew…