Retail news

• M&S struggles to change its spots with clothing range issues

  06-11-2019 20:38
  Not enough orders, slow-moving lines, misaligned profile … shareholders will despair if M&S keeps making same mistakesMarks & Spencer is undergoing “far-reaching change”, or so it says, but some things remain familiar. There is always a problem with the clothing ranges.At the same stage a year ago, M&S confessed that Holly Willoughby’s “must-have” items were a big hit but it hadn’t ordered enough of them. Now it says it’s been stuck wi
  
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• Shopping centre firm Intu considers cash call amid high street crisis

  06-11-2019 20:29
  Firm blames income fall in part on insolvency process used by tenants to reduce rent bills and close storesIntu Properties, the company behind shopping centres such as Lakeside in Essex, has said a cash call could be on the cards after being engulfed by the high street crisis.The heavily indebted shopping centre operator said its like-for-like rental income had fallen by about 9% this year and would fall again next year owing to the tough retail climate. Intu blamed the declines in part on the c
  
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• M&S mixed bag shows too few signs of changing

  06-11-2019 19:20 via ft.com
  Food was up but clothing down and the businesses do not look a good fit
  
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• Intu/UK retail: jump scare

  06-11-2019 16:19 via ft.com
  Mall landlord may already have joined the ranks of UK’s zombie businesses
  
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• Which big names have fallen victim to the high street crisis?

  06-11-2019 14:40
  Thousands of jobs have been lost and hundreds of stores closed as retail slowdown bitThousands of high street jobs have been lost this year as a result of administrations and thousands more are at risk as Mothercare, Debenhams and Forever 21 prepare for closures. Among the big high street names affected are: Continue reading...
  
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• Marks & Spencer profits plunge as clothing sales continue to fall

  06-11-2019 09:10
  Food halls return to growth as retailer cuts prices and introduces new rangesMarks & Spencer has reported a fresh slump in clothing sales but insisted it was “making up for lost time” in the run-up to the key Christmas trading period.The chief executive, Steve Rowe, blamed the 5.5% decline in like-for-like clothing sales in the first six months of its financial year on supply chain problems and buying errors that meant popular sizes quickly sold out in store and online. This cont
  
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• M&S shows signs of progress even as clothing lines hit

  06-11-2019 08:57 via ft.com
  Margins lower after stock availability problems but food sales grow in third quarter
  
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• M&S shows signs of progress despite fall in clothing sales

  06-11-2019 08:57 via ft.com
  Margins slip after stock availability problems but food business returns to growth
  
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• John Lewis customer service was a complete washout

  06-11-2019 08:00
  A ‘war of attrition’ broke out after a new washing machine it fitted leaked and caused damageWe bought and had installed a John Lewis washer-dryer a month ago. Within two days, water leaked from the fitting into the downstairs flat. We filed our complaint, then had a local plumber come around to fix the leak. We assumed John Lewis would cover the cost of the repair and the damage. That’s why we chose to pay extra and shop with John Lewis: for peace of mind.Continue reading...
  
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• Posh crumpets are a thing, says Waitrose ... and so is celery juice

  06-11-2019 07:01
  Supermarket survey reports boom in vegan ready meals, tahini, something called ‘seaganism’ and … oh yes ... kebabs are backThe humble crumpet has benefited from a “posh” makeover inspired by top chefs, sales of celery juice have soared after becoming an instagram favourite and consumers are now mad for tahini, according to a report on this year’s food and drinks trends.The findings in the annual – and seventh consecutive – food and drink report fr
  
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• Ikea and H&M step up venture capital investments

  06-11-2019 06:00 via ft.com
  Retailers pump hundreds of millions of euros into start-ups to resist disruption
  
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