Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Matalan and River Island

Matalan sign Bangladesh safety agreement

Matalan has signed up to an agreement to improve workplace safety in Bangladesh following the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory earlier this year.

Matalan joins more than 80 brands from around the world, which have now signed the safety agreement, pledging to contribute up to £325,000 a year towards independent factory inspections and fire safety measures.

Matalan and River Island, which also signed earlier this week, faced extensive pressure this month by the Global Poverty Project and the TUC union group for the retailers to change their position.

River Island extends home delivery contract with Hermes

River Island has awarded Hermes a contract extension for the provision of home delivery of all its clothes, shoes and accessories online orders.

Under the deal, Hermes will operate as an approved partner for the retailer’s standard delivery service, collecting parcels from River Island’s Milton Keynes distribution centre on a daily basis.

Hermes will then collect all goods at its national hub, in Nuneaton, for processing and sorting, before being delivered to addresses nationwide.