Retail news

• Toymakers search for magic touch 

  28-02-2020 23:01
  Sales dip for second year as retailers bemoan lack of exciting products
  
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• Lord of the Dance, master of giggles | Brief letters

  28-02-2020 18:42
  
  Prince Andrew | Flooding | Hairdressers | Marmalade | Things children sayFor those who, like Prince Andrew, don’t quite know what to do with the embarrassment of a big birthday in latter years (G2, 27 February), may I suggest my model? Just go and climb a mountain and, with luck, nobody but your significant other will want to join you. Ben Starav for 60, the Auch Five for 70 and A’Mhaighdean for 80 suited very well, with minimal drinks bills on all occasions.
  Margaret Squires
  St Andr
  
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• Second-hand clothes sales: fashion forward

  28-02-2020 17:54
  The global market is tipped to exceed fast fashion within a decade
  
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• 5 minutes with Tim Payne, Trading Director, Quarter & Last

  28-02-2020 15:34
  
  Congrats on the recent launch of Quarter & Last! How does it feel?
  Like the job has only just started. The planning and build-up to launch have been fairly smooth as we have a great team with a clear vision of what we’re trying to achieve.
  Since launch we’ve been adapting our offer and message based on the reaction we’ve had, which is much more challenging and will be ever-present now. There have been elements that we’ve felt so strongly about in the planning that hav
  
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• How to build a successful channel through Amazon

  28-02-2020 15:00
  
  To Amazon or not to Amazon
  Can the multi-billion marketplace can be a profitable and strategic sales channel for you?
  Find out how to build a successful channel through Amazon. With brands such as IKEA also opting to market and sell their products the multi billion pound marketplace, now could be the time to have another look. We’ve developed a 7-step process, giving you a solid foundation and clear answers allowing you to asses the feasibility of selling through Amazon.
  Build Your Amazon
  
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• Retail Gazette Loves: Zalando’s “Zerotypes” campaign

  28-02-2020 14:54
  
  Zalando has launched its new spring campaign with a newly formed concept, “Zerotypes”, as an antithesis to stereotypes.
  The campaign, Goodbye Stereotypes. Hello Zerotypes features men in dresses and pink, as well as older women in neons and club kid-outfits.
  Zalando hopes to tackle what they call one of the big obstacles to diversity and freedom; stereotypes, by saying goodbye to outdated stereotypes.
  “We understand the wide variety of each person’s individual style and t
  
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• 1 million items removed from Amazon for false coronavirus claims

  28-02-2020 12:28
  
  Amazon has banned more than 1 million products from its marketplace over false claims about their ability to help fight coronavirus.
  Last week the online giant announced that it would begin removing “products that make medical marketing claims” claiming to be a treatment, cure or remedy for the coronavirus (or ‘COVID 19’).
  According to Reuters it has now removed more than 1 million products from its marketplace, and has begun preventing tens of thousands or merc
  
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• McColl’s to close over 300 stores

  28-02-2020 12:05
  
  // McColl’s to close 330 stores in the next couple of years
  // It closed 120 newsagents and smaller convenience stores last yearMcColl’s has revealed plans to shut 330 stores in the next three to four years as it seeks to focus its activities in the food convenience market.
  The retailer currently operates 1430 stores, having closed 120 newsagents and smaller convenience stores last year.
  As part of wider a “strategic change programme” aimed at boosting performance, c
  
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• 20,000 sign petition urging Lidl to protect supply chain workers

  28-02-2020 12:01
  
  // 20,000 people sign petition urging Lidl to do more to protect workers in its global supply chains
  // The petition was handed to Lidl’s UK head office in Wimbledon this week.
  // It forms part of Oxfam’s Behind the Barcodes campaignA petition with 20,000 signatures urging Lidl to do more to protect the workers behind its food was presented to the retailer’s UK head office this week.
  The petition, is part of Oxfam’s Behind the Barcodes campaign, was presented to the Wimbl
  
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• We cannot live by takeaway alone

  28-02-2020 12:00
  A new wave of food shopping apps is set to challenge Deliveroo and meal kit companies
  
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• Sainsbury’s offers refill service on cleaning products

  28-02-2020 11:45
  
  // Sainsbury’s offers refill service as part of a trial
  // The grocer aims to provide an alternative to plastic
  // Customers can refill selected Ecover cleaning products using bottles that can be used up to 50 timesSainsbury’s has launched a dish washing and laundry detergent refill service as part of a trial to offer customers an alternative to plastic usage.
  The grocer has offered the trial at its Harringay superstore, where customers can refill selected Ecover cleaning products us
  
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• 180-year-old retailer Angels Fancy Dress “priced out” of West End

  28-02-2020 11:23
  
  // Angels Fancy Dress, which opened 1840, has closed down its West End store
  // It will continue to operate out of its Hendon warehouse after failing to find a suitable relocation in Central London
  // Angels Fancy Dress is credited for supplying costumes to Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, Shakespeare in Love, Doctor Who and many moreA 180-year-old West End costume supplier and retailer is leaving the world-famous theatre district after being “priced out” by rising rent and rates.
  Ange
  
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• Uniqlo reopens Chinese stores despite ongoing coronavirus threat

  28-02-2020 11:11
  
  // Uniqlo reopens over 100 stores in China while 125 remain closed
  // It operates a total of 750 stores in ChinaUniqlo has reportedly reopened more than 100 stores in China in the past week although 125 stores remained closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Reuters.
  The Japanese retailer owned by Fast Retailing, operates 750 stores in China, which is its key growth market at a time when it is faced with declining sales in Japan.
  Fast Retailing also has 128 of its 242 global sewing
  
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• Calls to fix “broken” business rates system “fallen on deaf ears,” BRC says

  28-02-2020 10:28
  
  // BRC criticises government’s response to Treasury Select Committee business rates inquiry
  // BRC made recommendations to fix what it described as a “broken” and “unfair system”The government’s response to the Treasury Select Committee business rates inquiry has been criticised by the BRC.
  The trade association made a number of recommendations to fix what it described as a “broken” and “unfair system” but said the proposals seem to hav
  
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• Frasers Group suggests CMA reconsider JD Sports & Footasylum tie-up

  28-02-2020 09:57
  
  // Frasers Group calls for CMA to appoint trustee to sell Footasylum to an industry bidder
  // The CMA previously said the takeover of Footasylum by JD Sports was likely to lead to less competitionMike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reportedly proposed for the UK competition regulator to appoint a trustee to sell Footasylum to an industry bidder, such as itself rather than JD Sports.
  Earlier this month, the CMA said the already-completed takeover of Footasylum by JD Sports was likely to lead to
  
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• Lush offers free hand washes to fight coronavirus

  28-02-2020 09:30
  
  // Lush is allowing customers to enter stores to wash hands without any obligation to buy anything
  // Lush has been hit by trade in its Asian markets as well as in northern ItalyLush is offering customers the opportunity to walk in and wash their hands for free as part of wider efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus.
  The ethical beauty retailer is advertising what it calls a “public service” through posters, whereby customers can take advantage of its sinks and be given soap to us
  
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• Australian stocks remain in freefall as coronavirus panic drives market down 10% for week

  28-02-2020 09:19
  
  ASX loses another 3% on Friday, taking it into ‘correction’ territory and bringing week’s losses to $200bnCoronavirus panic has stripped almost 10% from the value of Australian stocks over the past week amid fears the outbreak could dent a global economy already struggling with persistently low growth.Any potential hit to the Australian economy will further deepen damage done by bushfires and floods that have ravaged the east coast in recent months – although the extra da
  
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• Consumer confidence increases for 3rd consecutive month

  28-02-2020 09:08
  
  // Consumer confidence in February rose two points to -7, according to GfK
  // This is the third month in a row of improvement – January was -9 and December -11
  // It’s also better than February last year, when the consumer confidence index was -13UK consumer confidence has increased for the third month in a row, although sentiment overall remains negative, according to an index.
  GfK’s long running consumer confidence index, which regularly asks people how they feel about their
  
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• Card Factory appoints Jennifer Lawrence as new HR boss

  28-02-2020 08:52
  
  // Card Factory appoints Jennifer Lawrence as executive director of people, effective from June 1
  // She will be joining from Costcutter, where she was HR director
  // Her remit is developing Card Factory’s employee engagement, resource planning, development and recruitmentCard Factory has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Jennifer Lawrence as its new executive director of people.
  Lawrence was formerly HR director at Costcutter and has over 18 years of experience shap
  
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• Waitrose to expand online delivery service in preparation for split from Ocado

  28-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Waitrose is rolling out its own online delivery service to a further 24 shops as it prepares for its split from Ocado. From 1 September, Ocado... View Article
  
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• Sainsbury’s announces trial of Ecover refill stations

  28-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Sainsbury’s has launched a trial of refillable Ecover stations for washing up liquid and laundry detergent. The move follows the supermarket’s recent pledge to become Net... View Article
  
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• Marks & Spencer extends cut-off point for next day click and collect orders

  28-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has extended its cut-off time for orders for next day click and collect from 10pm to 11pm. The move follows a successful trial... View Article
  
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• Dr Martens appoints new EMEA president

  28-02-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Dr Martens has hired Lorenzo Moretti as its new EMEA president. Moretti was previously chief executive of footwear retailer Office Shoes. Prior to that, he worked... View Article
  
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