Retailers

‘Many independent retailers are ready to reopen now’, says Bira CEO

The CEO of The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) Andrew Goodacre has said many independent retailers are ready to reopen now, having already worked hard to put measures in place to keep both customers and staff safe. The news comes as non-essential retailers will be allowed to reopen from Monday,…

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Animals killed in pet shop blaze

Several animals have died after a pet shop blaze in Sheerness yesterday (21 May) evening. According to Kent Online, fire crews were called to Cuddles n Bubbles shortly after 5pm, but dozens of animals were unable to be saved. Witnesses reported seeing thick black smoke coming out of the building,…

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Pets at Home sales top £1bn for the first time

Total annual revenue at Pets at Home exceeded £1bn for the first time in its history, increasing 10.2% to £1,058.8m in the full-year ended 26 March 2020 .  Like-for-like revenue also surged 9% during the period, while retail like-for-like revenue was up 9.4%, marking a 15% rise on a two-year…

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Pet Place secures £1m loan to support growth

Pet Place announced it has secured a £1m Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) loan from Lloyds Bank in efforts to support its growth and presence.  It comes as the Welsh pet supplies retailer said it has expanded its click + collect service after online orders increased by 600%.  The…

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Trouble ahead for retail vacancy rates, warns BRC

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Local Data Company has said the new BRC-LDC Vacancy Monitor has revealed that the rate of store vacancies increased to 12.2% in March. The monitor also reported a 0.3% decrease in vacancy rates in shopping centres to 14.1% compared with 14.4%. The South West and Wales…

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PFMA notes ‘substantial rise’ in bird food sales

The Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) revealed it has seen a “huge shift” in bird food sales in light of the ongoing pandemic.  PFMA members have seen bird food sales shift from stores to online in the last four weeks amid the nationwide lockdown, though warn that many retailers have…

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Dog Artists sales surge amid pandemic

Dog Artists revealed it has seen a rise in the number of requests for pet portraits since the nationwide lockdown began.  The London-based dog painting company consists of eight professional artists specialising in hand painted dog portraits. The group delivers oil paintings to pet owners across the globe.   Each piece…

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Online pet store triples workforce

PetShop.co.uk revealed it has tripled its workforce in light of a rising demand for online pet products amid the ongoing pandemic. The online retailer, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, said that the nationwide lockdown has led to a 300% increase in sales from owners who need pet food delivered to their homes. …

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OATA urges government to clarify guidelines for aquatic retailers amid Covid-19 crisis

The CEO of the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) has written to the government to clarify whether furloughed staff can volunteer to care for aquatic livestock whilst “off work” amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In a letter to the of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, OATA has asked for clarification due…

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Vetoquinol reveals ‘strong’ first quarter figures amid Covid-19 crisis

Global animal health company Vetoquinol has revealed “strong” first quarter results amid the Covid-19 crisis. The company reported a 13.4% rise in total group sales to €103.4m (£90.5m), with ‘essential sales’ increasing by 17.9% to €53.4m (£46.8m). Sales of companion animal products came to €60.1m (£52.6m) and accounted for 58.1%…

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