Clothing Retailing: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  

“Appetite for clothing has dropped dramatically since the first lockdown and will be dealt a further blow with the second national lockdown during peak trading season, making it one of the hardest-hit retail sectors in 2020. As online shopping for fashion increases and the shift away from stores creates a longer-lasting legacy, this will accelerate the pace of digitisation of the clothing retail sector. Retailers that are able to be agile and flexible in order to adapt to the new reality are most likely to succeed.”

– Tamara Sender Ceron, Senior Fashion Analyst

Brand Overview: Retail: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  

“COVID-19 will introduce even more ethical indicators that need to be appropriately dealt with, particularly when it comes to the treatment of staff, vulnerable members of society or NHS workers. But while retailers have increased their ethical activity over recent years, it is important to note that those with strongest heritage in this area are most readily recognised for their efforts, like The Body Shop, Lush and the Co-op. Brands should seek to push new ethical initiatives in the short term, but will need to recognise that it may take longer for these actions to filter through into consumer consciousness.”

– Richard Hopping, Senior Brand and Household Analyst

• UK Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19  
  UK Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19

  

  “After almost two years of rumours Walmart has finally sold Asda in a £6.8 billion deal to the Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital. The deal takes Asda both private and into British ownership for the first time in 20 years, and marks the start of a new chapter for Britain’s third largest grocer”- Nick Carroll, Associate Director - Retail
• European Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19  
  European Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19

  

  “The leading European countries continue to show polarised performances, with Italy finally experiencing retail sales growth in value while in Spain, retail sales continue to decline. Shoppers around Europe are still worried of being exposed to COVID-19 and about how the pandemic might reshape their lifestyles, as the shift to online shopping remains strong across all the four leading countries.”– Armando Falcao, European Retail Analyst, 27th October 2020
• Food and Non-Food Discounters: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - UK  
  Food and Non-Food Discounters: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - UK

  

  “The discount sector is well positioned to benefit from the economic uncertainty in the UK caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With a more mature market, competition will be fierce and retailers will have to work hard to differentiate themselves. The food discounters have managed to carve out a unique niche in the market and the non-food discounters are beginning to evolve to offer more than just value.”- Piers Butel, Research Analyst
• Meal Kits: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US  
  Meal Kits: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US

  

  “While meal kits have seen ups and downs since the first services started to appear around 2012, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the industry with a boost as consumers have focused on home cooking and looked to limit grocery shopping trips. The increase in demand has also at least temporarily reduced reliance on the coupons and discounts that consumers have come to expect. The experience that meal kit customers have now and in coming months may determine whether they keep ordering at elevated levels in the long run or fall back to more sporadic pre-pandemic usage patterns. Meal kit services have a unique opportunity to reinvent themselves around the experiences, convenience, and value they provide.”– John Owen, Associate Director, Food and Retail
• Seasonal Shopping (Spring/Summer): Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  
  Seasonal Shopping (Spring/Summer): Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK

  

  “COVID-19 significantly impacted consumer spending for 2020 summer/spring seasonal events as lockdown restrictions forced many to celebrate Easter and Father’s Day apart from key family members. We expect to see consumers holding back on discretionary spend as the impact of the COVID-19 recession lingers on and the upcoming Brexit adds further uncertainty to a lack of consumer confidence. However, despite low consumer confidence, retailers can encourage spend by offering affordable ways to celebrate events, with a focus on premium own-label food and drink ranges that can compete with out-of-home dining experiences.”
• European Retail Handbook: Inc Impact of COVID-19  
  European Retail Handbook: Inc Impact of COVID-19

  

  "In 2019, retail sales increased for the vast majority of European countries, and the combined value of retail sales for the 36 major economies covered in Mintel's European Retail Handbook reached €3.5 trillion. Germany has the largest retail market but France appears second, followed by Russia and placing the UK fourth. Luxembourg and Switzerland lead when in retail sales per capita. But with the arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 the retail sector has become disrupted. However, in spite of the impact of lockdowns and consumer caution, we still expect retail sales to grow during the year in local currency in half of the countries covered in the Handbook."
• Vehicle Recovery: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  
  Vehicle Recovery: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK

  

  “The market for vehicle recovery is expected to suffer relatively minimal disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic. Assisted by the annual payment for most policies the sector is forecast to see recovery from 2021 helped by moves from many players in this market to move away from price competition and add value through wider support for motorists.”
• Kitchens and Kitchen Furniture: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  
  Kitchens and Kitchen Furniture: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK

  

  “COVID-19 will see kitchen furniture sales fall sharply amid a reduced appetite for big-ticket purchases in 2020, store closures, a reluctance to allow tradespeople into the home and a slowdown in the housing market. However, extended periods inside will see an unprecedented rise in kitchen usage across the UK, refocusing consumers on the importance of this space and creating new opportunities for the market moving forwards.”– Marco Amasanti, Retail Analyst
• European Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19  
  European Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19

  

  “The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect consumer behaviour in different ways across Europe. The importance of wearing a mask or face covering when outside the home appears to vary depending on each government’s rules, while other trends such as the shift to online shopping remain strong everywhere. The feeling of cooperation persists and we have seen retailers continue to innovate to maintain their relevance, sometimes blurring the lines between online and in-store shopping but ultimately diversifying their offering and using technology to increase their engagement with consumers.”Armando Falcao, European Retail Analyst, 22nd September 2020
• UK Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19  
  UK Retail Briefing: Inc Impact of COVID-19

  

  “Christmas 2020 will be a festive season like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic will shift traditional shopping habits, strain will be placed on logistic networks and for many retailers it will be a make or break period. Despite consumer willingness to enjoy Christmas following the events of 2020 the economic realities will dampen spending and mean value will be crucial. ”Nick Carroll, Associate Retail Director
• Compras Online x Offline: Incluindo Impacto da COVID-19 - Brasil  
  Compras Online x Offline: Incluindo Impacto da COVID-19 - Brasil

  

  “Com a exceção de lojas e comércios essenciais, como mercados e farmácias, o impacto da COVID-19 nos comércio online e offline foram praticamente opostos. Enquanto o comércio offline foi severamente impactado, obrigando muitos comerciantes a fechar suas portas definitivamente, o comércio online cresceu e se expandiu como nunca no país. Mas para continuar crescendo, as plataformas online ainda precisam investir em soluções mais baratas e eficientes de entrega e opções de compras mais personalizadas. Enquanto isso, as lojas físicas precisam investir em um alto padrão de higiene, em uma melhor e mais autêntica experiência de compra e em um atendimento mais pessoal para atrair os consumidores de volta a loja.”