Thursday 14th August | Join Free
Hello, this is your Beyond the Basket daily brief.
In today’s issue:
🛒 Amazon Expands Same-Day Grocery Delivery to 1,000 Cities
📉 Claire’s UK Falls into Administration
🛒 Klarna’s Losses Deepen Ahead of IPO
🔐 Cyber Attacks Threaten Online Spend from Under-35s
👕 Gildan to acquire Hanesbrands for $2.2B
+plus four deep reads, and two tools that could help super charge your ecommerce support and analytics.
🛒 Amazon Expands Same-Day Grocery Delivery to 1,000 Cities LINK
TL;DR: Amazon has launched same-day grocery delivery in over 1,000 U.S. cities, with plans to reach 2,300 by the end of 2025. Prime members get free delivery on orders over $25.
Why It Matters: Groceries and household staples are among Amazon’s most purchased items, prompting the company to invest in temperature-controlled fulfillment and rapid logistics to capture more share in everyday essentials. The move extends Amazon’s dominance into rural and mid-sized markets where grocery competition is often limited, raising the stakes for regional grocers and delivery services. Orders can now combine food with non-grocery items in one cart, broadening convenience appeal.
Your Move: If you’re a grocery or CPG brand, prepare for heightened competition in delivery speed and convenience. Strengthen your own same-day or rapid fulfillment capabilities and emphasize local sourcing, freshness, or unique assortments to stand out against Amazon’s scale.
📉 Claire’s UK Falls into Administration, Sparking Calls for Government Action LINK
TL;DR: Claire’s UK and European Services have entered administration after failing to secure a buyer, putting 2,150 jobs and 306 stores at risk. The move comes just a week after the US arm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Why It Matters: Claire’s UK CEO has blamed the collapse on a sharp decline in brick-and-mortar footfall and the ongoing shift to e-commerce, which the business struggled to adapt to. The fallout comes amid wider high street strain, River Island is cutting 110 jobs and Hobbycraft is closing nine stores. The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) is calling for urgent government action, including reducing business rates and closing the £5.9bn low-value import loophole that it says is draining sales from domestic retailers. With Claire’s burdened by £355m in debt due Dec 2026 and halting ecommerce and refunds, customer trust and cash flow are under pressure. Without policy shifts, more legacy specialty retailers could face the same fate.
Your Move: Claire’s collapse is a warning for specialty retailers facing low footfall and cheap online imports. Focus on financial discipline, build cash reserves, cut fixed costs, and reduce exposure to low-value import competition by differentiating on delivery speed, quality, or unique product offerings.