Market Trends

Unite Scotland has criticised today’s (23 July) announcement by the Scottish Government on workers suspected of contracting Covid not being required to self-isolate stating that it could lead to a new spike in the pandemic. As one of the nation’s leading trade unions in the health and social care sector, which has been significantly impacted by the pandemic, Unite has raised serious concerns directly with the Scottish Government over its approach to level zero. The…

Microlise, a leading provider of transport management software to fleet operators, is set to list on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange as Microlise Group plc on 22 July 2021. The Group has raised £61.2 million from investors through the issue of shares at a Placing Price of 135 pence per share, meaning Microlise has been valued at £156.5 million.  The decision to list on AIM will support Microlise’s next stage of development,…

ParcelHero says that the Department for Transport has been discussing temporary visas for EU truck drivers. The Brexit U-turn comes after trade bodies and retailers called for the army to be put on standby as driver shortages hit home. The home delivery expert ParcelHero says the Government is currently engaged in ‘secret’ talks with supply chain professionals that could result in non-UK HGV drivers, including EU nationals, being called back to the UK on temporary…

New Government figures show household spending fell significantly in January-March this year, compared to the same period last year. The home delivery expert ParcelHero says only the meteoric rise of online sales kept most retailers afloat. The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) Consumer Trends report reveals household spending tumbled 11% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2021, compared to the same period last year. The report shows that hotels and restaurants were hardest hit:…

The US Government has taken an important step towards ending ‘big tech’ firms’ monopolies. Six new bills could result in Amazon being forced to sell off its logistics arm and AWS services, while Facebook would have to part with Instagram and WhatsApp.  Controversial plans to break up ‘big tech’ monopolies, which could force e-commerce giants to sell off services such as Amazon Logistics, Google Maps, YouTube and WhatsApp, have been given the green light. The…

COVID-19 had collectively grounded the airline industry in 2020. As international travel restrictions gradually ease in 2021, the aviation industry can expect to see new opportunities arise, for post-pandemic economic recovery. The Airport Council International (ACI) body predicts a surge in travel demand across the second half of 2021. With global trade already on the rise, with the world trade’s recovery hitting a record high in its first quarter – aviation experts appear optimistic as…

UK independent parcel carrier, Yodel, has been delivering more Father’s Day gifts than ever before, as analysis of more than 15,000 deliveries suggests that the rise in online gifting seen over the last year is a trend that is here to stay. Yodel uses its ‘Have Your Say’ tool to gather feedback from customers on their delivery experience as well as their reasons for shopping online to better understand wider ecommerce trends. The data shows…

Many of the world’s largest global online retailers including Amazon, eBay and Etsy were hit by the global web outage this morning. With Amazon earning $950,000 a minute, today’s meltdown may have lost retailers worldwide around $1bn, says ParcelHero. Major online stores including Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Boots were among the many sites that failed this morning, in what is being termed the hour the internet ‘broke’. The e-commerce delivery expert ParcelHero estimates retailers across…

Oliver Shaw, CEO at Kalibrate reacts to the news that Ofgem is to invest £300m into EV charge points, with £40bn more to come. Oliver explains that while these investments must continue, ultimately, businesses need to invest in EV networks smartly, by looking at what consumers want most. Oliver explains that only when having a data-driven strategy when building robust EV charging networks, will this be possible. “With the ban on sales of new petrol…

Couriers are not relaxing their Covid safety measures, so you still won’t sign for parcels, says ParcelHero. Home deliveries continue to defend the home front in the war against Covid. UK couriers have not relaxed their safety precautions following this week’s easing of lockdown rules across Britain. The home delivery expert ParcelHero says the UK’s leading couriers are retaining their Covid protocols, including socially distanced deliveries and using alternative proof-of-delivery measures. ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer…