JoJo Maman Bébé, Lush say shutdown rules are unfair

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 6, 2020

As non-essential retail shuts down in England but some shops, such as garden centres and those that sell a relatively small proportion of essential goods are allowed to stay open, some forced-to-close shops are crying foul.

The boss of JoJo Maman Bébé has criticised the government decision that means the babywear retailer has to shut saying that baby clothing should be counted as an essential.

And Cosmetics retailer Lush added: “It is ironic that a soap shop should shut at the very time when our product is not just wonderful to use, but lifesaving”. 

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JoJo Maman Bébé founder Laura Tenison called it “extraordinary” that maternity clothing, as well as clothes for babies and toddlers are seen as unnecessary luxuries, the Telegraph reported.

The latest English lockdown is slightly more liberal than the first one back in the spring with more out-of-home activity allowed and more store types (such as bike shops) permitted to continue trading.

And many that could have stayed open but closed during the first lockdown are saying that they will continue operating this time. That comes as footfall, although significantly lower year-on-year, hasn't plummeted to virtually nothing in the same way it did when shops first closed in March.

Footfall tracking firm Springboard said that footfall on Thursday morning up to 10am was down 55% year-on-year. It had fallen 75% at the start of the first lockdown.

Tenison said that having to close her chain, as well as denting sales, would also close off an important source of information for mothers. 

And referring to her unwillingness to use the extended furlough scheme, she also told the newspaper: “I do not wish to burden the fiscal purse with more expense if it is not absolutely necessary. We wish to stay open. We wish to offer our service. We wish to be useful to society and pay our taxes – not take handouts.”