Topshop’s gif t cards cover just half your spend

SHOPPERS with gift cards for Sir Philip Green’s collapsed Topshop empire will only be able to use them for half the value of their order.

Customers have also been left unable spend them online due to a technical issue since parent firm Arcadia plunged into administration on Monday.

Now the firm’s administrators Deloitte have confirmed that gift cards can only be used to cover 50 per cent of the price of their purchase. This would mean that someone with a £20 card would have to buy £40 of goods to use it in full.

Deloitte is working to resolve the system issue to allow gift cards to be spent online from next week, meaning shoppers will have to head to stores in the meantime.

The shops are not obliged to accept gift cards in administration but, as the stores and websites are continuing to sell wares, shoppers had expected to use them. Deloitte said: ‘Gift cards remain valid in full across all the Arcadia brands. The full value of a gift card can be put towards up to 50 per cent of a purchase. Gift cards are currently being accepted in all stores and customers will be able to use them online from early next week.’

Arcadia, which has 444 UK stores, called in administrators on Monday, putting around 13,000 jobs at risk, after Sir Philip failed to drum up a package to rescue the firm. A day later Debenhams fell into liquidation after JD Sports pulled out of a possible rescue, threatening up to 12,000 roles.

Arcadia’s brands – which include Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Burton – went bust after the pandemic ‘ severely impacted’ sales across its brands.

But the firm had been in decline for many years, with experts blaming a lack of investment in its brands and online business. Arcadia’s rivals will now circle to snap up the remains of the empire, with Topshop expected to fetch the highest price. Deloitte said it was ‘assessing all options available’.

No redundancies have yet been announced and stores reopened on Wednesday as England’s lockdown lifted, but closures and job losses are expected.