Seasonal Shopping (Autumn/Winter): Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  

“Seasonal spending for the Autumn/Winter events continued to grow in 2019/20 and consumer confidence held up well going into the New Year. Growth was driven by Valentine’s Day, although spending was cut back for Back-to-School and Bonfire Night. Halloween continued to inch up in importance, and has real appeal for both children and adults. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly impacted consumer confidence and restrictions on and consumer concern toward gatherings will significantly impact spending on Autumn/Winter events in 2020/21.”

Department Stores: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  

“The department store sector in the UK continued to struggle throughout 2019 and the outbreak of COVID-19 came at a particularly difficult time. Many of the leading department stores were in the midst of reviewing store portfolios and making significant strategic changes in order to try to turn things around. For several years there have been question marks around the relevance of department stores on the high street – a broad range of goods can now be bought from online retailers, often conveniently and well-priced. Furthermore, the polarisation of the retail market will have hampered growth in mid-market department stores. Recovery after COVID-19 will certainly be difficult, but department stores must stand out from the crowd – focusing on the communities that they serve and upping the in-store experience.”

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

  

  "In less than two months COVID-19 has significantly shifted consumer behaviour, and had a seismic effect on retailers in the UK. Grocery demand has soared and the non-food sector has been dramatically impacted due to both store closures and consumers holding back non-essential purchases. These are trends which will continue not simply throughout the lockdown but longer term as COVID-19 shifts attitudes and behaviours towards spending."Nicholas Carroll, Associate Director, 14th May 2020
• Major Domestic Appliances: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK  
  Major Domestic Appliances: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK

  

  “The market actually recovered momentum in 2019; however, the adverse impact of COVID-19 will put an end to this. While the majority of purchases are triggered by necessity, sales are nonetheless set to fall 11% in 2020 as stores are closed, housing transactions fall and elements of demand are limited to essential purchasing. The exodus from the high-street will catalyse the growth in online purchasing, particularly among older consumers; but there will be some opportunities for growth within the market.”– Marco Amasanti, Retail Analyst, 4th May 2020
• Home Decor Retailing: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US  
  Home Decor Retailing: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US

  

  "Prior to the pandemic, the home décor category benefitted from small but stable growth which was expected to continue. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and threat of a recession are altering that trajectory. While consumers look to limit their discretionary spending, the extended periods of time at home will create desire to improve their spaces. The primary purchasing method has currently shifted online and ecommerce retailers will help the category stay afloat in the short term. Looking ahead to the longer term, economic factors may cause consumer confidence and spending to further decline – worsening the impact on home décor retail. Over time, the market is expected to rebound and return to steady growth as employment picks back up and consumers ease back into spending more on discretionary items. Brands will continue to leverage digital channels to engage with consumers and appeal to their new sense of home and wellbeing.  "
• Grocery Retailing: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US  
  Grocery Retailing: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US

  

  "Between 2014 and 2019, multi-outlet sales of groceries continued to rise steadily but slowly. The rapid escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, however, gave the industry a jolt, boosting sales in the short term but introducing enormous new challenges as well. While the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic remains unpredictable, it is likely that consumers will continue to favor groceries and home meal prep over foodservice through much of 2020."
• UK Retail Rankings: Inc Impact of COVID-19  
  UK Retail Rankings: Inc Impact of COVID-19

  

  "COVID-19 has brought a fresh set of challenges to a sector already under pressure. Like the last recession, the outbreak will only accelerate the winds of change in the sector, with greater online demand and more localised shopping. Non-food retailers will need to weather a significant storm in the short term and the reality is, even with the Government's financial packages, not all will make it through. Indeed the grocery sector, which is experiencing record demand, is seeing significant financial strain as stores have had to be invested in to ensure trade is safe in the new norm.”Armando Falcao, Retail Analyst, 14th May 2020
• 运动休闲品牌 - 中国  
  运动休闲品牌 - 中国

  

  “运动休闲在过去5年中持续火热，并且毫无热度减退的迹象。尽管领先运动休闲品牌在最近的新冠疫情中受到了经济冲击，但这样的负面影响很有可能是暂时的，因为中国城市居民的健康意识不断加深，并且对全方位运动服装的需求也日渐增强。面临着来自于时尚品牌和奢侈品牌在运动休闲市场的挑战，运动服装品牌在品牌价值、产品设计和专业运动服装上仍保有强大的竞争力。运动品牌在满足消费者对舒适和合身的需求上走在前列。”– 夏月，研究分析师
• Online Grocery Retailing - UK  
  Online Grocery Retailing - UK

  

  “In 2019 growth slowed for the fourth consecutive year in the online grocery market, as the sector continues to struggle to reach new customers with much of the growth in the market coming from existing users. The start to 2020 has seen growth rapidly accelerate due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the legacy of which will be opening up the online grocery market to large numbers of customers who may not have shopped for groceries online before.”
• Convenience Stores - US  
  Convenience Stores - US

  

  "While fuel sales generate as much as two thirds of total convenience stores revenue and remain a core traffic driver, c-store operators are increasingly turning their attention to in-store categories as the most direct path to increased sales and profits. Still, convenience stores face considerable challenges in categories like foodservice and packaged foods and beverages, where consumer preferences are changing and the competition is growing more intense."
• Health Food Retailing - UK  
  Health Food Retailing - UK

  
• Accessorising the Home - UK  
  Accessorising the Home - UK

  

  “Spending grew again in 2019; however, the market is increasingly split into two; a divide increasingly characterised by age. The newer dynamic demand for trend-driven home accessories, favoured by younger shoppers as a means of affordable personalisation, continues to open avenues for growth. However, the next few years will be more uncertain; the impact of COVID-19 is likely to lead to a slowdown in expenditure in the short term as consumer confidence is impacted which will have a knock-on impact on the housing market, and wider spending on the home, which could be significant depending on the duration of the outbreak .”
• European Retail Briefing  
  European Retail Briefing

  

  This month's European retail briefing includes:

  • Analyst comment on Impact of COVID-19 on Italian retailing
  • An overview of the latest European Retail sales
  • Highlights of the latest Retail trend observations across Europe.
  • Monthly headlines and retail news across Europe.