Retail news

• M&S cuts share awards for two top executives

  03-06-2020 19:22
  Incentive scheme capped because of a sharp fall in value of retailer’s stock
  
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• SSP pays it out, then asks investors to pay it back

  03-06-2020 18:27
  Dividend difficulty in the age of coronavirus; Chemring proves a good Covid-19 defence
  
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• Tesco to open 13th Jack’s store despite chain closure speculations

  03-06-2020 17:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco to open new Jack’s store in Kingston, Hull
  // The new store will occupy a former Mothercare storeTesco has reportedly revealed plans to launch a 13th Jack’s store, despite speculations that it would close the chain last year.
  The Big 4 grocer said it wants a Jack’s to take over a vacant Mothercare store in Kingston, Hull, in northern England, and has submitted plans to the local council, The Grocer reported.
  Tesco said it has always been looking for potential sites for
  
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• The Mall centres to reopen but shopper numbers “closely monitored”

  03-06-2020 17:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // The Mall centres to reopen from June 15 as preparations take place
  // The centres’ leisure and dining facilities will remain closed until further noticeThe Mall owner Capital & Regional (C&R) has announced it is preparing to reopen its seven shopping centres in England from June 15.
  The centres due to reopen are The Mall Wood Green, The Mall Walthamstow and Exchange Ilford, as well as The Marlowes in Hemel Hempstead, The Mall Maidstone, The Mall Luton and The Mall Blackburn.
  The
  
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• Big Interview: Gary Raucher, Executive Vice President EMEA, Asics

  03-06-2020 16:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Asics EMEA executive vice president Gary Raucher described himself as “a big believer in transferable skills” and reminisced on how he has made the transition from consumer-packaged goods to technology companies, and now the sporting goods industry.
  “The essence of marketing is the same across all three of those industries,” he told Retail Gazette.
  “It’s about finding ways to be able to communicate that innovation in a simple enough way that gives people a str
  
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• Which UK shops are reopening and when as Covid-19 lockdown eases?

  03-06-2020 16:12
  
  From John Lewis to McDonald’s, chains adapt for customers’ return or deliveriesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage. Many non-essential shopping chains are preparing to let customers back into stores as the coronavirus lockdown eases.Outdoor non-food markets and car showrooms were allowed to reopen from Monday 1 June. From Monday 15 June, a much broader range of retailers will reopen their doors, including clothes shops, toy stores, electronics
  
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• Which shops in the UK are reopening and when as Covid-19 lockdown eases?

  03-06-2020 16:12
  
  From John Lewis to McDonald’s, chains adapt for customers’ return or deliveriesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage. Many non-essential shopping chains are preparing to let customers back into stores in some parts of the UK as the coronavirus lockdown eases.In England, outdoor non-food markets and car showrooms were allowed to reopen from Monday 1 June. From Monday 15 June, a much broader range of retailers will reopen their doors, including cl
  
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• Which shops in England are reopening and when as Covid-19 lockdown eases?

  03-06-2020 16:12
  
  From John Lewis to McDonald’s, chains adapt for customers’ return or deliveriesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage. Many non-essential shopping chains are preparing to let customers back into stores as the coronavirus lockdown eases.Outdoor non-food markets and car showrooms were allowed to reopen from Monday 1 June. From Monday 15 June, a much broader range of retailers will reopen their doors, including clothes shops, toy stores, electronics
  
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• Cards make up majority of payments for the first time

  03-06-2020 15:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Debit and credit cards accounted for 51% of the volume of payments in 2019
  // In 2018 it was 47%
  // Meanwhile, eight in 10 UK adults used contactless payments in 2019Cards made up more than half of payments in the UK for the first time last year, according to a trade association.
  UK Finance said debit and credit cards accounted for 51 per cent of the volume of payments in 2019, with online shopping and contactless cards helping to drive growth.
  This compares to 47 per cent of payments made us
  
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• UK car retailer reports strong sales in reopened showrooms

  03-06-2020 15:11
  Vertu says demand highest for used vehicles as customers seek alternative to public transport
  
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• French Connection tops list of biggest discounters during lockdown

  03-06-2020 13:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // French Connection currently tops list of retailers offering the biggest discounts online
  // Online sales increased during lockdown as stores remain closedNew research has found that French Connection has topped the list of the biggest discounters, along with Sir Philip Green’s Miss Selfridge.
  Covering the two-week period from May 20 to June 2, online sales increased by 20 per cent year-on-year, with French Connection currently topping the list for the biggest discounts, followed by Miss
  
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• Amazon to launch ‘Fashion Summer Sale Event’ this month to “jump-start sales”

  03-06-2020 12:51 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon is planning to launch the “Biggest Summer Sale” event on June 22 in a bid to jump-start sales and help retailers shift surplus stock that has accumulated during lockdown.
  In a letter sent to sellers yesterday morning, seen by CNBC, Amazon says that it planned to host a “Fashion Summer Sale Event” later this month.
  While the event is expected to run for around a week, Amazon said that only retailers who have received an invitation will be allowed to take part.
  
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• Central England Co-op donates £40K to stem rise in domestic abuse

  03-06-2020 12:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Central England Co-op donates £40,000 boost to help stem the rise in domestic abuse in its communities
  // There has been surge in reports of domestic violence since the lockdown came into effectCentral England Co-op has donated £40,000 to two charities as part of an effort to help support those impacted by a rise in domestic violence since the lockdown started.
  The grocery retailer has given £20,000 each to Refuge and Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid to support thei
  
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• Snapchat partners with Adidas, Topshop and Farfetch for latest ecommerce initiative

  03-06-2020 11:19 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Snapchat has launched a new ecommerce advertising tool enabling retailers to reach its Gen Z and millennial audiences with “remarkable results”.
  Adidas, Topshop and Farfetch are among the big-name retailers who have already beta-tested Snapchat’s new Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) feature, which launches in the UK today.
  The free-to-use tool allows brands to create globally served Snapchat adverts in real-time and reach the increasing number of customers shopping online during lockd
  
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• Oxfam to ‘open as many stores as possible’ from June 15

  03-06-2020 11:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Oxfam will open as many stores as possible in England from June 15
  // Stores in Scotland and Wales will remain closed until further noticeOxfam has announced it is preparing to reopen its high street stores in England from June 15.
  The charity group is hoping to open as many of its 595 UK stores as possible by the end of July.
  Meanwhile, stores in Scotland and Wales will remain closed for the time being, in line with government guidance.READ MORE:Charity shops to quarantine donations for
  
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• Off the chart: Australians were world leaders in panic buying, beating UK and Italy

  03-06-2020 11:06
  
  Australia ‘far and away most panicked country’ say researchers who had to create new graph scale to depict phenomenon
  Australians lead the world in panic buying in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research that has analysed Google searches, including those for toilet paper and supermarket opening hours.Researchers from the University of New South Wales said they had to build a new scale for graphs showing Australian panic, as levels were four to five tim
  
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• Angling Direct posts net loss despite sales reaching £53m

  03-06-2020 09:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Angling Direct posts net loss before tax for the last financial year
  // Group sales for the year rose 27 per cent up to £53.2 millionAngling Direct has recorded a net loss before tax, which it blamed on new store acquisitions and a difficult post-Christmas trading environment.
  For the 12 months to January 31, the fishing equipment retailer reported an EBITDA loss of £0.5 million and a net loss before income tax of £1.5 million.
  The “exceptional winter flooding” a
  
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• LVMH’s £13bn takeover of Tiffany & Co thrown into doubt

  03-06-2020 09:51 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // LVMH board members call meeting amid concerns about Tiffany & Co’s current financial state
  // Tiffany & Co has been grappling with the impact of Covid-19 and widespread protests in the US
  // LVMH first announced its £13bn takeover of Tiffany & Co in NovemberLVMH’s €14.7 billion (£13 billion) takeover of Tiffany & Co has been thrown into doubt as the jewellery retailer grapples with a major upheaval in the US economy.
  According to WWD, LVMH board me
  
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• 3/4 of shoppers will only return to shopping centres with these safety measures

  03-06-2020 09:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Almost 75% of shoppers say they will return to shopping centres only if stores have a raft of hygiene and safety measures
  // 60% actively encourage temperature scans on entering and leaving stores
  // Nearly 2/3 are happy to be monitored on CCTV to control crowds and average store queues should be around 10minsNearly three-quarters of shoppers said they would return to shopping centres but only if stores encourage compulsory hand sanitation, protective screens, limits on numbers and two metre
  
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• Shop prices drop at fastest rate in 14 years

  03-06-2020 09:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index for May sees prices drop 2.4% in May, following a 1.7% decline in April
  // This is the biggest monthly drop since 2006
  // Non-food slides 4.6% in May while food inflation also slowed down, easing to a 1.5% uptickShoppers saw the price of goods endure their biggest monthly drop since 2006, according to the latest data.
  The BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index revealed that prices slid by 2.4 per cent in May, following a 1.7 per cent decline in April.
  Experts said the
  
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• Lockdown rules: what is allowed in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  03-06-2020 09:00
  
  From socialising to sports, everything you need to know about the latest lockdown dos and don’tsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe latest coronavirus rules, from Monday 1 June, are plentiful and complicated. This is your ultimate guide. Related: How to make a non-medical coronavirus face mask – no sewing requiredContinue reading...
  
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• UK shops slash prices as coronavirus causes sales to plummet

  03-06-2020 07:01
  
  Deepest monthly price cuts for 15 years as desperate retailers try to encourage consumer spendingBritish retailers struggling during the coronavirus pandemic have cut their prices by the most in a month since 2006, according to industry figures revealing the scale of the economic fallout.The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen said shop prices fell by 2.4% in May following a decline of 1.7% in April as people continued to stay away from the high street during lockdown. Continue reading..
  
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• Wren Kitchens gets back on track with showroom expansion

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Wren Kitchens has said it is back on track with its expansion plans as it looks ahead to the opening of its 100th UK showroom later... View Article
  
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• Waitrose cashier becomes Vogue cover star

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  British Vogue is to honouring key workers who have been working tirelessly during lockdown by featuring three on its July front cover. Included is 21-year old... View Article
  
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• SPAR posts global sales growth of 4.35%

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  SPAR International has increased its full year retail sales by 4.35% to €37.1 billion. By the end of 2019, the food retailer had 13,320 SPAR branded... View Article
  
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• Solution: Track customer occupancy and receive alerts. Live, in real time.

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tracking occupancy levels live is vital to keep customers and staff safe, and to demonstrate that social distancing requirements are being adhered to. Springboard’s PedBox delivers... View Article
  
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• Oxfam unveils plans for reopening of charity shops

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Oxfam will begin reopening its network of high street shops in England from 15 June. The charity is aiming to have as many shops operating as... View Article
  
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• Occupancy Solution: Track customer occupancy and receive alerts. Live, in real time.

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tracking occupancy levels live is vital to keep customers and staff safe, and to demonstrate that social distancing requirements are being adhered to. Springboard’s PedBox delivers... View Article
  
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• JYSK opens first store in Russia

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Furniture retailer JYSK is to open its first store in Russia today. The shop in Moscow’s Trojka district will be followed by three further openings across... View Article
  
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• Icon Outlet prepares to open its doors on 15 June

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Icon Outlet at The O2 has announced is to reopen its doors at The O2 on 15 June in line with the easing of Covid-9 lockdown... View Article
  
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• Buzzbike subscription take-up surges during Covid-19 crisis

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Bike subscription platform Buzzbike has seen a  440% year-on-year increase in customers taking out subscriptions since the start of the coronavirus crisis. The company said the... View Article
  
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• Buzzbike subcription take-up surges during Covid-19 crisis

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Bike subscription platform Buzzbike has seen a  440% year-on-year increase in customers taking out subscriptions since the start of the coronavirus crisis. The company said the... View Article
  
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• Angling Direct posts full year loss

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Angling Direct has reported a net loss before income tax of £1.5 million for the year to 31 January. The fishing equipment retailer  also posted an... View Article
  
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• 5 customer retention strategies to grow your business

  03-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  It’s 5x more expensive to acquire new customers than to keep existing ones. Increasing customer retention by 5% can increase company revenue by 25-95%. Highly engaged customers... View Article
  
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