Multiple and independent housewares retailers are anticipating high demand for kitchenware during England’s four week lockdown, which starts today (November 5).
Dunelm is confident that it will meet the high demand expected for home delivery during England’s lockdown due to its recent investment in increased capability. The retailer will continue with its Click & Collect store services while stores are temporarily closed. Having performed strongly in-store and online in recent weeks, Dunlem expressed surprise in this lockdown’s clarification of ‘homewares’ as non-essential.
“That the latest list of retailers that are permitted to be open in England does not include ‘homewares’ is ‘both unexpected and inconsistent with the guidance provided during the previous national lockdown, when homewares was added to the essential retail list in May,” states Dunelm’s ceo Nick Wilkinson.
Lakeland’s ceo Steve Knights highlights ‘exceptionally high demand at the moment’ but assures consumers that the company has ‘worked really hard over recent weeks and months to greatly increase the number of calls we can answer and parcels we can safely send.’ Lakeland is offering a store Click & Collect service (in line with government guidelines) for selected products via its website.
Overlapping with essential retailer status (food and/or hardware), housewares stockists Robert Dyas, Wilko, B&M and The Range are remaining open during the current lockdown in England.
La Cookshop, Blagdon and Car and Kitchen, Settle are among the multitude of independents that have adapted to ensure the provision of Click & Collect services for their customers. Situated next to a farm shop, La Cookshop anticipates demand from home cooks coming to pick up food supplies.
Providing free local delivery as well as Click & Collect in the town of Settle, Car and Kithen’s co-owner, Tash Meredith, told HousewaresNews.net: “We predict there will be a big increase in kitchenware sales again, especially bakeware, so I have popped in some top up orders to deal with that.” Tash confirms that her lifestyle store now has a large section devoted to kitchenware on its website, which is being “constantly updated” and has seen a significant increase in sales since the first lockdown.
Tash adds that intends to provide consumers who are walking past the store with inspiration over the lockdown period: “I’m going to be putting some Staying Home windows, which will include lots of bakeware and cookware.”
Meanwhile, cookshops and housewares stockists in Wales are set to reopen on Monday (November 9) after a ‘fire break’ lockdown, and retailers in Scotland and Northern Ireland currently remain open.
* To read more about Car and Kitchen in Settle, see the latest Shelf portrait in Progressive Housewares.
