British retail empire Arcadia Group, which owns well-known fashion chains including Topshop, went into bankruptcy protection on Monday, putting 13,000 jobs at risk.

In another blow to a retail industry hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, Arcadia said it had called in administrators from Deloitte after the pandemic “severely impacted” sales across its brands.

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A worker is seen through the front window inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

British retail empire Arcadia Group, which owns well-known fashion chains including Topshop, went into bankruptcy protection on Monday, putting 13,000 jobs at risk.
Mannequins, some wearing face masks, display clothes in the front window of the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Competition also has increased from low-cost rivals like Primark, as well as from online disrupters such as ASOS and Boohoo. Critics have also said that the 68-year-old Green, who has been embroiled in a series of controversies over the past few years, hasn't invested enough in the businesses to get them in shape to deal with the new competition in retail.
Mannequin heads are seen through the front window displaying face masks inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Mannequin heads are seen through the front window displaying face masks inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)
People wearing face masks to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walk past the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

People wearing face masks to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walk past the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)
A person wearing a face mask to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walks past the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

A person wearing a face mask to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walks past the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)
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A worker is seen through the front window inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

British retail empire Arcadia Group, which owns well-known fashion chains including Topshop, went into bankruptcy protection on Monday, putting 13,000 jobs at risk.

Mannequins, some wearing face masks, display clothes in the front window of the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Competition also has increased from low-cost rivals like Primark, as well as from online disrupters such as ASOS and Boohoo. Critics have also said that the 68-year-old Green, who has been embroiled in a series of controversies over the past few years, hasn't invested enough in the businesses to get them in shape to deal with the new competition in retail.

Mannequin heads are seen through the front window displaying face masks inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Mannequin heads are seen through the front window displaying face masks inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

People wearing face masks to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walk past the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

People wearing face masks to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walk past the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

A person wearing a face mask to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walks past the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

A person wearing a face mask to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walks past the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Overseen by tycoon Philip Green, one of Britain's best-known and most controversial business figures, Arcadia includes brand such as Burton, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins. It runs 444 stores in the U.K. and 22 overseas. They have suffered during the pandemic, which has seen shops shut during periods of lockdown.

A worker is seen through the front window inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

A worker is seen through the front window inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Competition also has increased from low-cost rivals like Primark, as well as from online disrupters such as ASOS and Boohoo. Critics have also said that the 68-year-old Green, who has been embroiled in a series of controversies over the past few years, hasn't invested enough in the businesses to get them in shape to deal with the new competition in retail.

There was no immediate announcement of layoffs or store closures.

“We will now work with the existing management team and broader stakeholders to assess all options available for the future of the group’s businesses," said Matt Smith, joint administrator at Deloitte.

Mannequins, some wearing face masks, display clothes in the front window of the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Mannequins, some wearing face masks, display clothes in the front window of the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)
Mannequin heads are seen through the front window displaying face masks inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

Mannequin heads are seen through the front window displaying face masks inside the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

 People wearing face masks to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walk past the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

People wearing face masks to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walk past the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

 A person wearing a face mask to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walks past the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)

A person wearing a face mask to try to curb the spread of coronavirus walks past the temporarily closed Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street, during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Arcadia Group, the retail empire of tycoon Philip Green, which owns well-known British fashion chains like Topshop and employs around 15,000 people, appears to be on the brink of collapse following the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)