Thursday newspaper round-up: Boohoo, retailers, Sainsburys
Boohoo has been criticised by the chair of an influential committee of MPs, who said the online fashion firm had failed to address warnings of malpractice at Leicester factories. Philip Dunne, the chairman of the environmental audit committee, which questioned Boohoo co-founder Carol Kane about problems in Leicester factories in November 2018 for a report on the fast fashion industry, has disputed claims the group was not aware of potentially illegal working practices at factories making its garments.- Guardian
Rents have continued to climb across England, but they are sliding in London as Airbnb owners abandon hopes of attracting holidaymakers and put their properties on the long-term rental market. Property website Rightmove said asking rents outside London hit a record of £845 a month in early July, up 3.4% on the same time last year. – Guardian
Retailers have opened only half of shops since the lockdown restrictions were eased as some customers are still avoiding stores. Of the 20,351 sites that were allowed to reopen, including restaurants, takeaway shops and travel agents, 52pc had done so, according to a new survey from the Local Data Company (LDC). – Telegraph
Dobbies Garden Centres has struck a deal to stock Sainsbury’s food, four years after the business was sold by Tesco. The retailer will sell 3,000 of Sainsbury’s own-branded products in 66 of its 68 garden centres. Graeme Jenkins, Dobbies’ chief executive, said: “The partnership between Dobbies and Sainsbury’s is an excellent fit, with a shared goal of offering the best to our customers.” – The Times