Insights & News

The impact of protestors on retailers and how to deal with them

12 April 2019

Everyone has the right to hold opinions and impart information and ideas including by peaceful assembly and association with others. These are ‘human rights’ which we all enjoy and which protect the right to protest and which may not be interfered with by a public authority. However, whilst the right to protest is enshrined in law, any protest must be lawful and balanced with the rights of others, including those at whom the protest is directed.

Technology, Customer Authentication and PSD2: payment service providers (and retailers) - are you ready?

25 March 2019

Apparently, we will, globally, spend some $4.9 trillion in e-Commerce transactions by 2021. Smartphones generated over 42% of eCommerce revenues in 2018 and there has been a ten-fold increase in biometric smartphones in the last two years. However, against the backdrop of our increasing transactional reliance on smartphones and other mobile devices, e-Commerce fraud increased by 33% in 2016. This put pressure on the EU to keep up with the way in which we shop and to enhance consumer protection by reducing the potential for fraud.

Joanna Hunt and James Walters write for Essential Retail: How prepared is the eCommerce sector for the staffing implications of a no-deal Brexit?

Press

18 March 2019

Joanna Hunt and James Walters have written an article for Essential Retail which discusses the challenges faced by the eCommerce sector to maintain access to labour in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

Is logistics really set to become the New Retail?

13 March 2019

The term ‘urban logistics’ is certainly on trend in the property market and in an effort to keep pace with the demands of the modern consumer, retailers are increasingly targeting urban industrial units to help tackle a key part of the supply chain; the last mile. The challenges of the high street are well documented and the fragile retail market has forced many retailers to re-assess all aspects of their business model. With traditional store retailers needing more space to help service on-line orders and e-tailers needing to scale up their infrastructure network to support their growth, achieving a flexible and agile supply chain to meet these demands is certainly a topic that should be at the top of any retailers to do list.

Supreme Court introduces new test for assessing a landlord’s intention to redevelop

13 March 2019

The Supreme Court recently handed down its judgment in the case of S Frances Ltd v The Cavendish Hotel (London) Limited. The decision marks a dramatic departure from the previously settled position regarding the proper test to be applied when establishing whether a landlord has the necessary intention to redevelop under ground (f) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Introducing a new element to the test, a landlord must now be able to demonstrate, in addition to it having a settled intention to carry out the works, that it would do those same works even if the tenant left voluntarily.

Tech Predictions for 2019

11 January 2019

Following on from our 2018 Tech Predictions, here are our top ten favourite tech predictions for 2019. Just imagine a world where new technology not only makes us more efficient but improves our lives in other ways - let’s see what 2019 might hold in store!

How should hospitality employers deal with third-party harassment at Christmas parties?

17 December 2018

“Christmas time is here by golly; disapproval would be folly; Deck the halls with hunks of holly, fill the cup and don’t say when”, as the legendary American satirist Tom Lehrer once sang. But Christmas party season can be a mixed blessing. The day after the office party, you will find many HR managers bracing themselves to hear what happened the night before…

Ask about… Retail, Fashion & Hospitality

13 December 2018

Many of our clients in the retail, fashion and hospitality sector face similar HR issues. Each month one of the members of our team will identify an issue, ask how you would deal with it and provide our advice. This month we asked Anna...

Ask About… Retail, Fashion and Hospitality

16 November 2018

Many of our clients in the retail, fashion and hospitality sector face similar HR issues. Each month one of the members of our team will identify an issue, ask how you would deal with it and provide our advice. This month we asked Lucy...

Out of court appointments of administrators: a return to reason

13 November 2018

When appointing administrators out of court, there is requirement to specify the date and time the appointment is made. This is a development arising since April 2017 as a result of the Insolvency Rules 2016 coming into force. Given that appointments are generally effective at the point of filing, it has been unclear how (absent a crystal ball) practitioners should address the requirement when preparing the Notice of Appointment form. A recent High Court decision resolves the issue, confirming that a notice making reference to a future filing is acceptable.

Matthew Rowbotham comments for Essential Retail: Will an Amazon Tax really save the UK high street?

Press

24 October 2018

In an article for Essential Retail, Matthew Rowbotham comments on the Chancellor of the Exchequer suggestion of bringing in a special tax on online businesses coined the "Amazon Tax" in an attempt to rescue brick and mortar retailers in the UK.

Data breaches under the GDPR - will the sky come crashing down on British Airways?

11 September 2018

Between 21 August and 5 September, British Airways (“BA”) suffered a data breach - in essence, its systems were “hacked”. This has affected the personal data of around 380,000 individuals. Following an announcement through BA’s Twitter account, the story was quickly picked up by mainstream media outlets, demonstrating the significant publicity that such events can generate in a short space of time.

Alan Hunt writes for Essential Retail: A prime question: ‘one-day delivery’ guarantees and eCommerce

Press

30 August 2018

In an article for Essential retail, Alan Hunt discusses the ASA banning Amazon for promising one-day delivery in its advertising, as it is not delivering on this very promise.

Geraint Lloyd-Taylor comments for The Drum: Tui ad banned by ASA for claiming that summer 'includes October'

Press

23 August 2018

In an article for The Drum, Geraint Lloyd-Taylor comments on the ASA banning Tui advertising summer holiday packages in September and October, as the offers are misleading to customers.

James Gill writes for Essential Retail: Modernising consumer markets: what changes are on the horizon?

Press

14 August 2018

In an article for Essential Retail, James Gill discusses the Government’s “Modernising Consumer Markets” Green Paper and the three principles for improving modern consumer markets.

Ask About...Retail, Fashion and Hospitality

19 June 2018

Many of our clients in the retail, fashion and hospitality sector face similar HR issues. Each month one of the members of our team will identify an issue, ask how you would deal with it and provide our advice. This month we asked Laura...

James Gill writes for Essential Retail - Connected Retail: Where next for IoT and GDPR

Press

07 June 2018

Apparently, some 26 billion devices will be IoT (Internet of Things) connected by 2020, at least according to one estimate. The use of IoT is becoming increasingly ubiquitous - connected devices range from visible fitness and health wearables to less visible IoT devices embedded in fridges, heating systems, vehicles and cloud platforms. In the article, James asks, where next for IoT and GDPR?

Ask About...Retail, Fashion and Hospitality

01 May 2018

Many of our clients in the retail, fashion and hospitality sector face similar HR issues. Each month one of the members of our team will identify an issue, ask how you would deal with it and provide our advice. This month we asked Emma...

Sarah Mogford comments for Retail Design World: Why upsizing fashion flagships is on-trend

Press

05 April 2018

In an article for Retail Design World, Sarah Mogford comments on fashion retailers upsizing stores while other sectors explore smaller store formats.

Bryony Long writes for Essential Retail: Lessons from the Carphone Warehouse cyber-attack

Press

09 March 2018

In an article for Essential Retail, Bryony Long discusses the Carphone Warehouse cyber-attack and suggests how retailers can learn from it.