Retail news

• UK supermarkets draw up plan to 'feed the nation' as virus spreads

  02-03-2020 22:13
  
  Plans would help with panic-buying brought on by escalation of coronavirus outbreakCoronavirus – latest updatesBritish supermarkets have drawn up “feed the nation” contingency plans that would help the country cope with any panic-buying brought on by a sudden escalation of the coronavirus outbreak.Under the plans, supermarkets would work with suppliers to scale back the variety of foods and groceries available, and instead focus on maintaining supplies of staple products.Three
  
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• UK supermarkets draw up plan to 'feed the nation' as coronavirus spreads

  02-03-2020 22:13
  
  Plans would help with panic-buying brought on by escalation of coronavirus outbreakCoronavirus – latest updatesBritish supermarkets have drawn up “feed the nation” contingency plans that would help the country cope with any panic-buying brought on by a sudden escalation of the coronavirus outbreak.Under the plans, supermarkets would work with suppliers to scale back the variety of foods and groceries available, and instead focus on maintaining supplies of staple products.Three
  
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• Supermarkets draw up plan to 'feed the nation' as virus spreads

  02-03-2020 22:13
  
  Plans would help with panic-buying bought on by escalation of coronavirus outbreakCoronavirus – latest updatesBritish supermarkets have drawn up “feed the nation” contingency plans that would help the country cope with any panic-buying brought on by a sudden escalation of the coronavirus outbreak.Under the plans, supermarkets would work with suppliers to scale back the variety of foods and groceries available, and instead focus on maintaining supplies of staple products.Three n
  
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• 'It's a safety net': across the UK people stock up amid coronavirus fears

  02-03-2020 20:05
  
  Guardian readers say they are concerned about being forced to self-isolate at homeFood, medicines and other essentials are being stockpiled by people across the UK over fears the coronavirus outbreak may leave them house-bound or unable to buy necessities.As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise, Guardian readers said they were concerned about being forced to self-isolate at home, along with the prospect of city “lockdowns” limiting the availability of goods, and many are no
  
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• Kretinsky steps in with loans to Casino supermarket parent

  02-03-2020 20:02
  French court approves 10-year debt restructuring of Rallye
  
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• Brexit: The aftermath for retail

  02-03-2020 18:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Since the UK voted in favour, albeit with a slim 52 per cent majority, of leaving the EU in June 2016, Brexit has become a permanent fixture of media headlines – as well as creeping up in countless conversations with friends and family.
  Now that the UK has officially out of the EU for just over a month now, Brexit still isn’t quite complete.
  Retailers are asking themselves what this actually means. For now, it just means that the UK is not represented in the EU parliament. The UK is
  
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• Morrisons offers 20 apprenticeships for food maintenance engineers

  02-03-2020 16:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Morrisons is offering food maintenance engineering apprenticeships to 20 candidates
  // Applicants must be over 16 and need level 6 GCSE maths & level 5 GCSE English to applyMorrisons is offering 20 apprenticeships to people over 16 years so that they can become fully qualified engineers in food maintenance.
  Food maintenance engineers work across Morrisons’ 18 food making sites to maintain and improve modern equipment that is used to cook, slice, mince, pack, weigh and prepare food.
  
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• Card Factory rolls out 356 branded concessions with The Reject Shop

  02-03-2020 16:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Card Factory complete roll out of 356 branded concessions across the entire store network of The Reject Shop
  // The exclusive 5-year supply agreement is Card Factory’s first international partnership
  // It follows a successful trial in 2019Card Factory has completed the roll out of 356 branded concessions across the entire store network of Australian discount retailer The Reject Shop.
  The exclusive five-year supply agreement is Card Factory’s first international partnership and fo
  
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• UK supermarkets braced for stockpiling if coronavirus escalates

  02-03-2020 15:45
  
  Stores ready for panic buying by customers, with sector prepared for any disruptionCoronavirus – latest updatesBritish supermarkets are preparing for stockpiling and panic buying by consumers if the coronavirus outbreak worsens in the UK – but analysts and retailers said the sector was prepared to handle major disruption.A major outbreak could result in “panic buying, empty shelves and food riots”, according to a research note by Bruno Monteyne, an analyst at the investme
  
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• PrettyLittleThing to host its first ever influencer awards ceremony

  02-03-2020 15:44 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  PrettyLittleThing is launching its first ever influencer awards ceremony celebrating the “best influencers in the business”.
  The online fashion giant’s awards ceremony will take place on March 18 in London with “celebrity attendees and hosts” including Caitlyn Jenner, Stassie, Chantel Jeffries and Lori Harvey.
  Fans have until midnight on March 13 to vote for their favourite influencers in 10 categories spanning a range of social media platforms including TikTok, You
  
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• Technology powers the 2020 ranking

  02-03-2020 14:53
  
  Italy closes the gap on Germany in this year’s ranking while tech’s dominance grows
  
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• FT 1000: Europe’s fastest-growing companies 2020

  02-03-2020 14:53
  
  Italy closes the gap on Germany in this year’s ranking while tech’s dominance grows
  
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• Intu creates new leadership team to boost retailer performance at its centres

  02-03-2020 14:07 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Intu creates series of senior roles to transform how it will work with retail brands and boost their performance at its centres
  // It includes four heads of partnerships, who will report to Intu customer performance director Rebecca Ryman
  // Intu also set to launch Fashion House, a UK-first store dedicated to online fashion labelsIntu has created a new team and series of senior roles to transform how it will work with retail and leisure brands and boost their performance at its portfolio of s
  
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• John Lewis to launch strategic review amid expectations of dismal results

  02-03-2020 13:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // John Lewis Partnership chair Dame Sharon White expected to unveil strategic review
  // The retail giant is reportedly talking to McKinsey about their involvement in a review
  // John Lewis Partnership expected to post dismal results due to massive writedown on the value of its propertiesJohn Lewis Partnership’s new boss is reportedly going to launch a strategic review amid reports that the retail giant is expected to post dismal full year results this week.
  According to The Sunday Times,
  
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• JD.com says delivery network will power it through coronavirus

  02-03-2020 13:20
  Exit of finance chief Sidney Huang announced alongside better than expected results
  
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• JD.com CFO to retire as revenues beat expectations

  02-03-2020 13:20
  Exit of Sidney Huang announced alongside improved results
  
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• Kingfisher appoints Sue Harries as group ecommerce director

  02-03-2020 12:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Sue Harries appointed Kingfisher group ecommerce director
  // She will be promoted from Screwfix, she has been since 2005 and worked her way up to director of ecommerce
  // Harries’ new position is effective from todayKingfisher has announced the appointment of Sue Harries as group ecommerce director.
  Harries joins from Screwfix, which is owned by Kingfisher, where she has served for 15 years, most recently as ecommerce director, where she is credited for being integral to the growth of i
  
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• Amazon stocks drop more than 10% as coronavirus fallout worsens

  02-03-2020 11:02 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon’s stock has dropped over 10 per cent in the past fortnight as thousands of third-party sellers struggle with stock shortages.
  The coronavirus’ fallout on businesses around the world is continuing to worsen while countries around the world scramble to contain its spread.
  Mass quarantines at the outbreak’s epicentre in China have caused many factories responsible for producing goods for thousands of Amazon sellers to remain shut for extended periods.
  Amazon’s stock h
  
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• Poundland to launch chilled & frozen food as it shifts to grocery

  02-03-2020 10:09 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Poundland to move towards grocery market as it launches frozen & chilled food range
  // The expansion programme will cover a number of towns and cities in the North & MidlandsPoundland has announced it will launch frozen and chilled foods at 60 “shop-in-shop” stores after expanding a “successful” trial.
  The discount retailer will roll out the initiative from March 10 following a successful pilot in five Derbyshire and Yorkshire stores.
  Poundland said it received
  
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• Asda eyed by billionaire petrol brothers

  02-03-2020 09:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Petrol station tycoons and private equity houses have shown interest in buying Asda
  // The line-up also includes US buy-out specialist Lone Star FundsAsda is reportedly surrounded by petrol station tycoons and private equity houses after US owner Walmart confirmed it was in talks to sell its stake last week.
  Bosses at Walmart are thought to be in early stage talks with a handful of private equity funds.
  Potential bidders include entrepreneurs Zuber and Mohsin Issa, the billionaire founders of
  
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• M&S extends trial of “successful” refill scheme

  02-03-2020 09:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // M&S to expand refill trial
  // The scheme allows customers to refill using own containers
  // Over three-quarters of M&S customers were actively trying to reduce the amount of packaging they use, new survey foundMarks & Spencer will reportedly extend the trial of its refill scheme which allows customers to refill food products using their own containers.
  The retailer said over three-quarters of consumers were actively trying to reduce the amount of packaging they use.
  The initial &l
  
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• Debenhams lenders threaten to withhold stores’ rescue package

  02-03-2020 08:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Debenhams lenders say they will convert £100m debt into equity if some landlords agree to rent reductions
  // Last week, Debenhams said it would give local authorities an ultimatum aimed at securing business rates cutsDebenhams has reportedly told landlords its lenders may not sign off a debt restructuring unless they consent to further rent cuts.
  Last April, lenders to the department store chain committed to convert £100 million of debt into equity.
  However, they are now maintaini
  
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• Debenhams denies lenders’ threat to withhold stores’ rescue package

  02-03-2020 08:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Debenhams lenders reportedly said they’ll convert £100m debt into equity if landlords agree to rent reductions
  // Last week, Debenhams said it would give local authorities an ultimatum aimed at securing business rates cutsDebenhams has reportedly told landlords its lenders may not sign off a debt restructuring unless they consent to further rent cuts, The Sunday Times reported.
  Last April, lenders to the department store chain committed to convert £100 million of debt into e
  
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• 2400 jobs at risk as BrightHouse nears collapse

  02-03-2020 08:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // BrightHouse is edging towards collapse
  // Grant Thornton is on standby
  // The rent-to-own retailer has recorded a surge in customer compensation claimsBrightHouse is reportedly on the brink of collapse, putting 2400 jobs at risk of redundancy.
  The rent-to-own retailer has put Grant Thornton on standby to handle an administration, Sky News reported.
  The news came this weekend after the retailer recorded a surge in customer compensation claims.READ MORE: BrightHouse falls to £16m los
  
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• The North Face gift isn't worth the card it’s written on

  02-03-2020 08:00
  
  My relative thought I could spend it in numerous London stores but there’s just twoLast August I was given a £100 gift card from The North Face by a relative who had bought it in the Leicester store. I live in London. She saw there were many stores on its website in London, and that it was also valid online.I finally got round to using it in January, and went into its store near Charing Cross. But I was told that because it was a franchise, or authorised seller and not a full store,
  
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• M&S to expand successful trial of fill-your-own container scheme

  02-03-2020 01:01
  
  Exclusive: Retailer says 25 of 44 products offered loose have outsold packaged equivalentsMarks & Spencer is to extend its trial of a refill scheme that enables shoppers to replenish their own food containers, after its research revealed that more than three-quarters of consumers said they were trying to reduce the amount of packaging they use.The retailer’s initial trial of its “fill your own” scheme at its Hedge End store in Southampton, which offers 44 packaging-free pro
  
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• Uniqlo to open first store in Hanoi

  02-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo is to launch its first store in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi this week.  Due to open on 6 March,  the Vincom... View Article
  
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• Q&A: Rebekah Hall, CEO of Botanic Lab

  02-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Rebekah Hall is the CEO of Botanic Lab, pioneers of functional drinking and leaders in the new wave of cannabis consumer goods brands.   What does... View Article
  
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• Ocado makes further investment in natural gas technology

  02-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Ocado has ordered a further 30 natural gas-powered trucks for its distribution fleet as part of plans to boost its eco-friendly credentials. While ten have already gone... View Article
  
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• Mercato Metropolitano: resurrecting forgotten principles

  02-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Success for food markets operator Mercato Metropolitano comes from its focus on adhering to principles that have largely been lost over recent years and not just... View Article
  
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• Cybertill launches Round Up donation feature

  02-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Cybertill Round Up feature is predicted to raise in excess of £1 million for charity over the next 12 months Cybertill’s Round Up feature is... View Article
  
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• Battersea Power Station announces first wave of retail brands

  02-03-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Battersea Power Station has announced that nine brands have signed up to become some of the first retailers to take space at the new shopping and... View Article
  
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