Retail news

• Mike Ashley snaps up stake in Mulberry

  03-02-2020 20:07
  Group owned by retail tycoon takes holding in upmarket handbag maker that is big supplier to House of Fraser
  
  Read more

• Mike Ashley's Frasers Group snaps up stake in luxury brand Mulberry

  03-02-2020 18:50
  Billionaire wants to reposition his fashion empire towards ‘premium third-party brands’Mike Ashley has bought a 12.5% stake in the luxury British handbag company Mulberry as he seeks to push his retail empire upmarket.Ashley’s Fraser Group announced on Monday that it had bought the stake as a part of a “key strategic priority” to reposition his fashion group towards “premium third-party brands”.Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Social shopping retail set for double digit growth in 2020

  03-02-2020 17:36 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // UK retailers report “better performance” of social shopping, Tupperware-style retail compared to traditional channels
  // Industry association cites growing acceptance of influencer economy as a key drivers.
  // 9/10 retail chiefs polled stated that 2020 will be a year of ‘significant growth’ for DTCThe UK industry body for direct to consumer retail, The Direct Selling Association, expects 2020 to be a year of double digit growth for the sector.
  In a survey of its member
  
  Read more

• Direct to Consumer retail set for ‘double digit’ growth in 2020

  03-02-2020 17:36 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // UK retailers report ‘better performance’ of DTC compared to traditional channels
  // Industry association cites growing acceptance of influencer economy as a key drivers.
  // 9/10 retail chiefs polled stated that 2020 will be a year of ‘significant growth’ for DTCThe UK industry body for direct to consumer (DTC) retail, The Direct Selling Association, expects 2020 to be a year of ‘double digit’ growth for the channel.
  In a survey of its member CEOs, 80 p
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Crew Clothing plots international expansion

  03-02-2020 17:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Crew Clothing unveils plans for international expansion following a record-breaking Christmas period
  // The retailer expects its UK arm to expand 44 per cent CAGR by 2022, with international markets mirroring this growth
  // Crew Clothing currently has 81 stores and 725 employeesCrew Clothing has set its sights on international expansion after it registered a record-breaking Christmas trading period.
  The fashion and lifestyle retailer said it was now looking to European markets to acceler
  
  Read more

• £3.8bn takeover of Poundland owner Pepco Group on the cards

  03-02-2020 17:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Poundland owner Pepco Group is being eyed for a takeover by Advent International, Hellman & Friedman and Mid Europa Partners
  // A £3.8bn takeover is reportedly likely
  // Advent owned Poundland until 2010 when it offloaded the retailer for £200 millionPoundland’s former owner Advent International has reportedly teamed up with two rival private equity firms for a planned takeover that could value it at over €4.5 billion (£3.8 billion).
  Advent offloaded Poundland
  
  Read more

• Selfridges to ban all plastic-based cosmetic glitter by 2021

  03-02-2020 16:43 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Selfridges pledges to remove all plastic-based cosmetic glitter by January 2021
  // It’s the latest move in its ambition to become the most sustainable retailer
  // Research found that 64% of Brits were unaware that glitter contains single-use plasticSelfridges has pledged to remove all plastic-based cosmetic glitter by next year as it pushes on with efforts to try and become the most sustainable retailer.
  The luxury department store retailer said it was working closely with 300 suppliers
  
  Read more

• Forever 21 secures £62m deal to sell US assets

  03-02-2020 16:28 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Forever 21 has secured a deal with US property companies to sell its retail business
  // Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners and Authentic Brands Group agreed to pay £62m for Forever 21’s US assets
  // Forever 21 has around 800 stores in 57 countriesControl of collapsed fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 has been handed over to a consortium of creditors led by US property companies for $81 million (£62 million).
  Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Part
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Allbirds continues to invest in physical retail with second UK store

  03-02-2020 16:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Allbirds to open its second UK store in Marylebone this month
  // The new store will be the retailers 17th storeAllbirds it set to open the doors to its second bricks-and-mortar store in the UK later this month.
  Located on 46 Marylebone High Street, the store will open on February 20, just a year after opening its first London space in Covent Garden, which has already welcomed over 150,000 visitors.
  Taking inspiration from its nearby surroundings the store design will have a Regent’s Par
  
  Read more

• Alison Cooper runs out of puff at Imperial Brands

  03-02-2020 15:48
  Investors should not hold their breath for immediate turnround, experience suggests
  
  Read more

• CMA seeking new powers to regulate tech giants as it “takes back control” after Brexit

  03-02-2020 15:15 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is pushing for tougher powers to scrutinise tech giants like Amazon and Google after Brexit.
  The CMA is calling for powers to fine companies engaging in behaviour considered harmful to consumers without having to go through courts as it is currently required to do under EU law.
  It also wants the ability to prevent companies engaging in anti-competitive conduct while it is investigating them.
  “The upside (of leaving the EU) is that you
  
  Read more

• Veganuary signed up record 400,000 people, campaign reveals

  03-02-2020 14:33
  
  Figure compares with 250,000 global participants in 2019, with hundreds of new vegan items launched in UKA record 400,000 people worldwide signed up to the Veganuary movement this year, the campaign has revealed.Since 2014, the UK-based group has asked people to pledge to eat a vegan diet for the month of January. It said the latest figure compares with 250,000 participants in 2019 and 170,000 in 2018. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Retailers face business rates relief delay due to computer glitch

  03-02-2020 14:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Hundreds of retailers due to receive business rates relief set to face a delay
  // This is due to issues with some councils’ computer systems
  // 75 local authorities told by software providers that changes to bills cannot be made until after the new financial yearHundreds of retailers that were expecting to receive some relief on their business rates bills will now face a delay due to a glitch with some councils’ computer systems.
  According to The Times, 75 local authorities have b
  
  Read more

• New Tesco CEO’s start date delayed to October

  03-02-2020 13:33 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Tesco confirms new CEO Ken Murphy will start the role on October 1
  // Outgoing CEO Dave Lewis has extended his current contract beyond when he was previously expected to leave
  // Murphy’s start date had to be delayed due to his non-compete notice period with current employer BootsThe new Tesco chief executive will have to wait until October before starting after management at his current employer forced him to see out a non-compete agreement.
  Ken Murphy, who is currently chief commercia
  
  Read more

• Retailers urged to ensure vegan fashion is 100% animal-free

  03-02-2020 13:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // The BRC set new guidelines where businesses are required to examine materials used in “vegan” products
  // The fashion industry is trailing behind grocers, where 1 in 5 new products launched last year were veganNew guidelines have been set to ensure that vegan fashion is really 100 per cent free of animal products.
  The guidelines, set by the BRC, come after the trade body was inundated with requests from fashion consumers trying to source vegan products for the first time.
  The
  
  Read more

• Luxury retail and video games: The unlikely partnership set to explode this year

  03-02-2020 13:13 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Luxury retail and the video games industry are set to become increasingly intertwined as high-end brands find new ways to “engage and excite millennials”.
  According to a new report from investment banking giant Jefferies, luxury brands are set to drive this unlikely partnership forward over the coming years as they seek to capitalise on the increasingly lucrative market.
  It argues that the current gaming demographic represent the next generation of luxury consumers, with 46 per cent
  
  Read more

• InternetRetailing EXPO

  03-02-2020 13:09 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  IRX 1&2 April, NEC, BirminghamReady to make your 2020 growth ambitions a reality?
  In a world where technology adoption is becoming a deciding factor in a retailer’s success, IRX brings together the knowledge, insight and practical advice that will enable you thrive in the digital world.
  Join the UK’s destination digital show covering all aspects of online retailing, from eCommerce and mCommerce, to payments, international growth and Brexit, replatforming, VR, AR and more.
  IRX is
  
  Read more

• Soak scrambles to find rescuer to avoid administration

  03-02-2020 12:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Soak is seeking for a rescuer to avoid the company from collapsing
  // The news follows Soak’s attempt in appointing accountancy firm BDO in December
  // Soak saw annual sales of £43m, down from just over £70m for the year ending in July 2018Soak is reportedly scurrying to find a rescuer before its deadline this week in a bid to avoid administration.
  The bathroom retailer has lined up restructuring and insolvency specialist Leonard Curtis to seek a buyer, The Telegraph re
  
  Read more

• BRC Learning Live

  03-02-2020 12:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  BRC LEARNING LIVE IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT HR AND TEAM LEADERS DRIVE FORWARD WORKFORCE TRANSFORMATION – AT PACE AND SCALE.
  Dramatic and rapid transformation is rocking the retail industry. Retailers that haven’t responded quickly enough to shifts in consumer behaviours and expectations – driven by new digital technologies and innovations – have simply disappeared off the map.
  The fundamental restructuring of our industry is triggering a seismic shift in the retail workforce
  
  Read more

• H&M’s new boss says its 5000+ “stores will change” as it focuses on digitalisation

  03-02-2020 11:45 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  H&M is planning to reposition its 5000-plus store estate into logistics hubs focusing on “digital growth” as its new management aims to shake things up.
  Last week the world’s second largest fashion retailer H&M revealed a major shake-up of its leadership team as chairman Stefan Persson announced his departure after more than 20 years.
  Persson’s successor, son and current chief executive Karl-Johan Persson has since suggested plans to take the company in a new dire
  
  Read more

• Boxpark to expand outside London after profits reach £1.6m

  03-02-2020 10:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Boxpark profits rise 22% to £1.6m last year
  // Turnover up 58% to £12.5m
  // The retail park revealed plans to expand outside of LondonBoxpark has recorded a rise in profits and is seeking to expand outside of London.
  The retail park saw a net profit rise of 22 per cent to £1.6 million last year, while turnover increased by 58 per cent to £12.5 million, City AM reported.
  Boxpark said its performance was boosted in the period thanks to the opening of a new location
  
  Read more

• COMMENT: We must tackle apprenticeship stereotypes in retail

  03-02-2020 10:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  I am delighted that the theme for National Apprenticeship Week this year is “Look Beyond”.
  Indeed, in the words of my current parliamentary apprentice Dan Swords, “we must stop the apprenticeships snobbery”. Moreover, we must encourage people to look beyond the outdated idea that retail is a first job rather than a career.
  In my first speech in the House of Commons I argued that we needed to change the way we view apprenticeships so that they are held in the same regard a
  
  Read more

• Comet liquidator sues French retailer for £115m

  03-02-2020 09:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Comet liquidator FRP Advisory taking action against French retailer Fnac Darty
  // Following Comet’s demise in 2012, more than 6000 jobs were lost
  // FRP Advisory said that the payment to Fnac Darty broke insolvency rules because it was paid ahead of other Comet creditorsComet’s liquidator, FRP Advisory, is suing French retailer Fnac Darty for £115 million.
  Fnac Darty sold the electronics retailer for £2 a year before its collapse in 2012, but received £115 millio
  
  Read more

• All of Hawkin’s Bazaar stores now shut down

  03-02-2020 09:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Hawkin’s Bazaar announces final store closures as part of administration
  // All stores closed down after the weekend of February 2
  // Hawkin’s Bazaar website still operating at the time of printHawkin’s Bazaar closed down all of its stores over the weekend as part of the administration process.
  Administrators from Moorfields Advisory made an announcement on late Friday afternoon that the weekend ending February 2 would be the final weekend of trading for the toy retailer&rsq
  
  Read more

• Potted ‘reptile’: the added ‘extra’ in our Sabra hummus

  03-02-2020 08:00
  
  We found a weird foreign body but can’t get anyone to take responsibilityI found what looked like a weird foreign body or small reptile (it even had veins!) in some Sabra Houmous Extra I bought in early July at my local Sainsbury’s but I can’t get anyone to help me. It was about 15cm long and 1cm thick. The pot is still in my freezer along with the original packaging as I thought, if I got ill after eating it, I might need it. It is branded Sabra but looks, from the label, as t
  
  Read more

• Cloud kitchen platform raises $60m for expansion

  03-02-2020 06:00
  Dubai-based start-up providing restaurant staff and tech plans big US push
  
  Read more

• WH Smith to expand presence at Australia’s Perth Airport

  03-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  WH Smith is to open four new shops at Perth Airport in Australia after the retailer was awarded the sites through a competitive tender process. The... View Article
  
  Read more

• Waitrose teams up with Vitality to offer discounts on healthy foods

  03-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Waitrose & Partners and health and life insurer Vitality have embarked on an exclusive, long-term partnership which will include offering Vitality Health and Vitality Life members... View Article
  
  Read more

• River Island: From High Street To Next‑Level E‑Commerce With Exponea’s CDXP

  03-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  River Island delivers connected, tailor-made experiences to every customer across their offline and online stores with help of Exponea’s CDXP. In this short video, they share... View Article
  
  Read more

• Hawkin’s Bazaar announces final store closures

  03-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Administrators for the collapsed Hawkin’s Bazaar have said that all of the retailer’s 20 shops will now be closed following a final two days of trading... View Article
  
  Read more

• & Other Stories to open first store in Russia

  03-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  H&M owned & Other Stories is to launch into the Russian market this autumn. The move will include the opening of a bricks-and-mortar store in Moscow... View Article
  
  Read more

Follow @retailuknws on Twitter!