Covid-19
Covid-19 brought unprecedented challenges to the UK jewellery trade, reshaping retail, supply chains, and consumer behaviour. For jewellers, manufacturers, and suppliers, understanding the pandemic’s lasting impact is essential to building resilience and adapting strategies. Jewellery Focus offers in-depth coverage of Covid-19’s effects on the industry, including market analysis, recovery efforts, e-commerce growth, and insights into how businesses are navigating a post-pandemic landscape.
-
May- 2020 -15 MayCoronavirus
IRC launches ‘We are open’ scheme amid Covid-19 crisis
The Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC), a group of trade organisations representing different independent retail sectors across the UK, has launched ‘We are open’, an online map and directory of independent shops that are still open and operating responsibly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the government’s guidance some high street retailers…
Read More » -
14 MayNews
Online retail sales soar to 10-year high amid Covid-19 crisis
Online sales growth surged to a 10-year high in April, up 23.8% year-on-year, amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. That’s according to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, which tracks the online sales performance of over 200 retailers. According to the report, the spike in sales was “overwhelmingly” driven by…
Read More » -
14 MayCoronavirus
Usdaw welcomes scrutiny of the Protection of Workers as it calls for the bill to progress
Shop workers trade union Usdaw has welcomed further scrutiny of the Protection of Workers (retail and age-restricted goods and services) (Scotland) Bill (Scotland) at the economy, energy and fair work committee meeting. Usdaw calls for the bill to complete stage one and progress to stage two of the legislative process,…
Read More » -
14 MayRetailers
Watches of Switzerland reports 5.9% increase in revenues in Q1 results
Watches of Switzerland has reported a 5.9% increase in group revenues to £819.3m in the year to 26 April, ahead of recently revised guidance. In the 46 weeks to 15 March 2020, group revenue increased by 15.8% across both the UK, which was up by 9.4% and the US, which increased…
Read More » -
13 MayAdvice
How to keep track of your cash flow
More than ever, cash flow is a key issue for small businesses, and understanding it is crucial to making informed decisions at the right time. The government will be asking businesses to demonstrate that they have an understanding of the state of their cash flow as it stands, and in…
Read More » -
13 MayCoronavirus
Presman Mastermelt reopens scrap metal postal service amid Covid-19 pandemic
Precious metals processing and recycling company Presman Mastermelt has announced it is restarting its postal service for customers wanting to send their precious scrap and lemel. The company, which is based in London’s Hatton Garden, is currently closed to visitors, and said all registered parcels will be accepted on Mondays…
Read More » -
13 MayRetailers
UK economy shrinks by 2% as pandemic takes its toll
The UK’s economy shrank by 2% in the three months to 31 March 2020, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which also found that gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 5.8% during March, the largest fall…
Read More » -
11 MayE-Commerce
De Beers Group launches e-commerce platform
De Beers Group’s auctions department has announced the introduction of a new scheme that will give registered buyers 24/7 access to diamond purchases. The newly-launched ‘Buy platform’ will allow buyers to make an “immediate, direct and straightforward purchase” from a range of rough diamonds with a further purchase option in…
Read More » -
11 MayRetailers
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…
Read More » -
7 MayCoronavirus
Birmingham Assay Office reopens gem lab amid Covid-19 pandemic
The Birmingham Assay Office has re-opened its gem lab and is now fully operational three days a week amid the Covid-19 crisis. Like many other businesses, the Birmingham Assay Office temporarily closed its doors on Tuesday 24 March for three weeks as stipulated by the government, but last month hallmarking…
Read More »
