In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter we’re reporting as Top500 retailers Ikea and Boohoo develop new ways of working.
Ikea today unveils images of its first small format UK shop – a move away from the large out of town stores that have been synonymous with the brand. The new smaller shop will put it in the centre of London, with easy access to tube lines and bus routes and will be, says Ikea, more sustainable.
Meawhile, Boohoo Group is launching a new UK factory that it says is proof of its commitment to ethical manufacturing in the UK – almost two years on from lockdown reports of poor working conditions and pay below the minimum wage.
Today we’re also reporting on what figures out this week from the likes of Royal Mail, Centre for Cities and Springboard say about how shoppers are now buying in the wake of Covid-19 lockdowns and trading restrictions. We also report on a new study that suggests shoppers’ loyalty to brands is waning fast.
And Lovehoney says that Google’s SafeSearch feature has prevented more than 700,000 adults visiting the site ahead of and over the Christmas period.
In today’s guest comment, Claire Grattidge of PFS argues that uncertainty has become the norm in retail in recent years, and has suggestions for how retailers and brands can deal with it.