Edinburgh-founded footwear retailer Schuh will enable customers to buy single-shoes in its stores, over the phone or via its online customer care team, as part of its ongoing commitment to disability inclusion.
From 30 August 2024, shoppers with a disability or limb difference will get 50% off single shoes which will be taken from a new pair. This latest disability equity move will include all brands available at Schuh.
“Creating an inclusive shopping experience is a key part of our business strategy. I am delighted to be able to roll out single-shoe purchases to all Schuh stores,” explained Neil Partington, chief retail officer at Schuh.
“We have been doing it via our customer experience team for some time, but now, even more people will have access to our hottest brands and products through this inclusive product offering.”
Schuh is growing at a time of ongoing cost-of-living issues, while also managing to track its impact on the environment, according to a company profile in the RetailX UK 360° report.
In 2011, Schuh was bought by Nashville-based specialty retailer Genesco. In its latest financial year, to 03 February 2024, Genesco reported a full year pre-tax loss of $21.8mn (-0.9% on the previous year) on net sales of $2.3bn (-2.5%). Schuh Group reported operating income of $21.4mn (+22%) on net sales of $480.2mn (+11%).
Genesco board chair, president and chief executive Mimi E Vaughn said at the time that it had been a year of “record sales” for both Schuh and its sister company Johnston & Murphy. In the year ahead, she said, “we have more work to do to meet the needs of our changing customer.”
Schuh tracks its social purpose on its own website, where it has reported a 76% reduction in emissions by 2022, compared to its 2019 baseline. It also reveals the number of young people it has supported through mental wellness partners (104,800) and The Prince’s Trust youth development programmes (1,370).
Download the RetailX UK 360° report for the full Schuh company profile. It is one of eight case studies in the report, with Argos, Asos, Currys, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Screwfix and Tesco all covered.
Our first UK 360° report offers a briefing on the UK market as a whole, how shoppers buy and want to buy, the retailers, brands and marketplaces that are succeeding in this market, and the services that the most successful provide to their customers.
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