Belgian banks are doubling the limits for contactless payments without having to enter a PIN code to 50 euros (for one payment) or 100 euros (accumulated), following the example of neighbouring countries.

Dutch-Belgian retail group Ahold Delhaize has had an excellent quarter, as corona-related stockpiling pushed its turnover 15 % higher. In March, American comparable growth was even 34 %.

Amazoncan not be held responsible for the sale of counterfeit products on its platform, the Court of Justice of the European Union decided in a case brought before it by cosmetics brand Coty.

In the first quarter of its financial year (up to 29 February), H&M doubled its profits and increased sales by 8 %. Good news then, until the coronavirus hit the world: in March, turnover was halved.

July is normally the dedicated sales period in Belgium, but 78 major players in fashion ask the government to intervene and enforce full prices in July. A sales period in August is necessary to save the sector from a flood of bankruptcies, they say.

Outdoor chain McTrek, owned by the AS Adventure Group, has filed for judicial reorganisation in Germany. A curator is investigating to what extent the retailer can be saved through restructuring.

HelloFresh has increased its first quarter outlook: the meal box delivery company sees a huge increase in demand, as the corona crisis inspires more people to cook at home.

Italian-French eyewear producer and retailer EssilorLuxottica and ready-to-wear holding company VF Corporation both have announced management changes. EssilorLuxottica CEO Laurent Vacherot retires, while the owner of Kipling and Eastpak welcomes new managers for both brands.

Orchestra-Prémaman has filed for receivership: the French children's clothing chain is only one more step away from bankruptcy. The chain is looking for a new buyer, hoping they will bring a new future.

As a result of the coronavirus crisis, Bangladesh risks losing almost six billion euros in export turnover. Millions of jobs are at risk as major retailers cancel their orders in the world's second largest clothing producer (after China).

Uber Eats is going to perform home deliveries for groceries from Carrefour in France. The company hopes to extend the cooperation to other countries, such as Belgium and Italy, on a later stage.

Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof has applied for creditor protection. The department store group has set in motion the German insolvency procedure, as Esprit did earlier.

Dutch retail chain Hema has reached an agreement with some of its landlords to halve the rent for its stores for April and May. It would appear that the intention of the Amsterdam-based retailer is to extend this agreement to all of its stores.

German fashion webshop Zalando has lowered its first-quarter forecast, as its sales have dropped significantly due to the measures implemented in many European countries in the fight against the coronavirus.

Ceconomy, the parent company of electronics chains MediaMarkt and Saturn, is in talks with the German national bank about obtaining two billion euros in state aid. The German retailer claims to need the support due to the corona crisis.

German department store chain Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof is on the brink of collapse and is asking the German authorities for state aid in the form of emergency loans. So far, however, it has not had that much success.

Esprit has requested, and obtained, protection against creditors for its German branch. The fashion retailer is particularly concerned about liquidity problems, as sales have plummeted as a result of the corona crisis.

Belgian fashion group FNG (Brantano, CKS, Miss Etam, Steps, ...) fears the coronavirus and its consequences will have a lasting impact on its activities. Not only have its stores closed completely, but now its online turnover is also decreasing.

An increasing number of online retailers (including British e-commerce giant Next) close their webshop because of the coronacrisis. Is this just a prelude for worse things to come?

The corona crisis is shaking things up in European food retail: from an online boom to severe staff shortages, the same phenomena are popping up everywhere. An overview of the international state of affairs in food retail at this moment.

The curtain may fall on more than 20,000 British shops, even after the confinement is lifted. The Centre for Retail Research even fears that a quarter of a million retail jobs will be lost for good.

The lockdown in France also affects farmers and growers: French distributors have now vowed to stimulate local fresh food products, through advertising or even by adjusting their offer.

In several European countries, such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, consumers are (soon) less likely to need their PIN code if they pay contactless in shops. By raising the amount for which PIN confirmation is needed, the risk of contamination is reduced.

Danish retailer Bestseller is laying off 750 people, Swedish giant H&M fears it will have to cut tens of thousands of jobs due to the coronavirus crisis.

The coronavirus, and a new strategy with fewer Latin-American wholesalers, have forced Nike third quarter net profit down by 23 % (December to February). Turnover did go up 5 %, but the sports retailer fears a steep decline in the next quarter.

Belgian supermarket chains Delhaize and Colruyt are joining forces in order to supply hospital staff with grocery deliveries, which will be free of charge. They invite competitors to join the scheme and widen its scope.

One of the worst hit industries will be fashion, a Moody's report says. As stores are forced to close, the spring collection can not be sold and will be out of fashion by the time stores can open again. Moreover, some chains will not have generated enough cash in order to buy the autumnal collections.

A remarkable alliance in these remarkable times: Aldi and McDonald's have agreed the discounter can take over staff from restaurants the fastfood chain had to close due to measures to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

EuroCommerce, the branch organisation of the European retail and wholesale sector, wants non-food retailers to be added to the European Union list of the hardest-hit sectors. They may suffer terrible damages, the organisation says.

Normally, Belgian 'healthy fast food chain' Foodmaker, was to open five new restaurants in the upcoming months. Due to the corona crisis, however, those plans are falling apart and the company must first of all try to survive now.

Although stores have not yet been ordered to close during the coronavirus crisis, most major retailers in the United States are taking matters into their own hands. Measures vary from limiting opening hours to general closures.

The Belgian supermarkets have jointly announced strict measures in an attempt to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. The number of customers that can shop at the same time is reduced, while the protection for store employees is upgraded.