Retail news

• Short-lived pay cuts will be dubbed clumsy by Covid-19 chroniclers

  17-06-2020 19:41
  The boards returning bosses to full whack too soon; Kingfisher’s turnround on its turnround
  
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• Mastercard, Visa face billion-pound payouts after top court ruling

  17-06-2020 19:00
  Asda, Sainsbury’s, Argos and Morrisons in line for damages over transaction fees
  
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• Mastercard and Visa face billion-pound payouts after UK court ruling

  17-06-2020 19:00
  Asda, Sainsbury’s, Argos and Morrisons in line for damages over transaction fees
  
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• Primark-gate, trainers and people-watching: what non-essential shopping tells us about Britain

  17-06-2020 17:33
  
  With some shoppers making a beeline for the newly reopened high street, the items being bought – as well as the queues to buy them – say a lot about what we want to wear nowFor three months, our shopping lists were spartan. Loo roll, flour, eggs, another three crates of anti-bac spray. Watering can for the tomato plants, printer ink cartridge. Pack of three gingham masks (expensive, but justified by profits going to charity.) The odd lockdown-lifestyle splurge on a yoga mat or a cock
  
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• Reopened stores present a new way of shopping – is it viable?

  17-06-2020 16:21
  Before the Covid-19 pandemic had the UK firmly in its grip in March, many retailers were already struggling due to consumers’ increasing shift to online and/or a growing preference for customer experience over basic transactional shopping.
  With non-essential stores being forced to close for almost three months across the UK, online retail has been thriving. Despite the government giving the go-ahead for non-essential shops in England to reopen from June 15, speculation was rife that
  
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• M&S to remove animal wool as pressure mounts

  17-06-2020 16:09
  // M&S to remove alpaca wool after Peta released an exposé claiming abusive treatment
  // The retailer has become the latest business to eradicate the materialMarks & Spencer has pledged to remove alpaca wool from future product developments after animal rights organisation Peta exposed the treatment of the animals.
  The British retailer has become the latest business to eradicate the material from its supply chain, following Gap and H&M Group.
  Peta, which is self-proclaimed as
  
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• Laura Ashley scraps further jobs as future is thrown in doubt

  17-06-2020 15:46
  // Laura Ashley will axe a further 56 jobs across its head office and back office functions
  // The retailer had already scrapped 268 roles back in AprilLaura Ashley has announced a further 56 redundancies will take place at its business as its UK store estate remains uncertain.
  The redundancies will occur across its head office and back office functions.
  The fashion and homeware retailer had already scrapped 268 roles in April, following its collapse into administration in March.READ MORE:Pensio
  
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• Kingfisher chief reverses strategy and looks to ride online momentum

  17-06-2020 15:46
  DIY retailer refocuses on core strength of brands including B&Q, Screwfix and Castorama as full-year profit dips
  
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• Retailers win Supreme Court card payment case

  17-06-2020 14:19
  // Retailers win major Supreme Court victory in over payment card processing fees
  // The court rejected an appeal by Visa & Mastercard against Sainsbury’s, Asda & Morrisons
  // Result means retailers can proceed with a trial to assess how much they are entitled to in damagesRetailers have scored a major Supreme Court victory in long-running litigation over payment card processing fees.
  In a ruling today, a panel of five justices held that multilateral interchange fees – which
  
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• UK inflation at lowest level in four years

  17-06-2020 13:21
  // The CPI fell to 0.5% in May compared to 0.8% in April – the lowest since June 2016, according to ONS
  // Clothing price tags helped bring down inflation, as prices fell 3.1% amid heavy discounts during lockdown
  // RPI, a separate measure of inflation, was 1% in May, down from 1.5% in AprilUK inflation fell to its lowest level in four years last month after a record drop in fuel prices and as clothing and energy costs continued to tumble, official figures have shown.
  The ONS said the rate
  
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• You can now buy face masks from “Vendamask” vending machines across the UK

  17-06-2020 13:07
  
  Face mask vending machines are being installed across the UK in retailers and public spaces as measures forcing people to wear them on public transport come into effect.
  Maskey has begun installing its “Vendamask” machines across the country, with 10 vending machines already trading including four in Greater London.
  Another 20 machines are set to be rolled out over the next week by the startup, which launched online in May, and its founder Adam Freeman believes 50 will be up and runn
  
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• US stores may be reopening but workers are finding it hard to rejoice

  17-06-2020 12:00
  
  Several retail corporations filed for bankruptcy even before the pandemic. Covid-19 quarantines caused millions of jobs to be lostAcross the US, states are opening again and the shoppers are returning after the coronavirus pandemic led to an unprecedented slump for retailers. But for those who have lost their jobs in the retail lockdown – a return to “normal” looks a long way off. And for some it may never come.Amy Christine Lacombe, a sales associate at Pier One Imports for ne
  
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• Gucci owner Kering welcomes Emma Watson to board of directors

  17-06-2020 11:49
  // French luxury conglomerate Kering appoints Emma Watson to board of directors
  // Kering owns Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent and BalenciagaKering has appointed actress Emma Watson to the board of directors following its AGM on June 16.
  The French luxury conglomerate owns brands such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.
  The news comes after Kering shareholders approved of Watson’s appointment to the board.READ MORE:Th
  
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• Coronavirus hasn't gone away. So why are people acting as if it has? | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

  17-06-2020 11:18
  
  Shops in England are opening and people are ignoring social distancing. It fills the more cautious, like me, with deep uneaseCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageI have a weird feeling of disorientation when I go outside these days. It’s like waking from a very long sleep to find the world irrevocably changed; a trope in science fiction – from Bill Masen in The Day of the Triffids missing the blinding meteor shower and going out into a London transformed,
  
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• Hugo Boss hires ex-Tommy Hilfiger CEO as new boss

  17-06-2020 11:16
  // Hugo Boss hires Daniel Grieder as new CEO
  // Grieder was the CEO of Tommy HilfigerHugo Boss has appointed the former Tommy Hilfiger boss Daniel Grieder as its new chief executive.
  Grieder has served as the chief executive of Tommy Hilfiger Europe since 2008, before being promoted to the chief executive of Tommy Hilfiger Global and PVH Europe in 2014.
  He is due to join office on June 1, 2021, replacing Mark Langer, who is stepping down on September 30.READ MORE:Mike Ashley’s Frasers Grou
  
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• Booths offers home delivery on hundreds of items for first time amid Deliveroo tie-up

  17-06-2020 11:13
  
  Booths is partnering with Deliveroo to offer home delivery on hundreds of its items in as little as 30 minutes for the first time.
  Deliveroo has added Booths to its growing roster of supermarket partners, and will now offer over 300 of its products for delivery via its app.
  This is the first time many will be able to access online delivery from the grocer, which has until now only offered home delivery for Amazon Fresh subscribers.
  From today the service is available from Booths’ store in
  
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• Boohoo sales surge as it pays £5.25m for Oasis and Warehouse brands

  17-06-2020 10:30
  
  Consumers turn to online retailer’s loungewear and athleisure during lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoohoo’s sales surged by 45% in the quarter to the end of May as consumers turned to online shopping during the coronavirus lockdown.The online fashion retailer, which owns brands including Nasty Gal, Pretty Little Thing, Coast and Karen Millen, said consumers were turning to loungewear and athleisure, with the lockdown leading to a more house
  
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• Kingfisher sales surge during lockdown

  17-06-2020 10:11
  // Kingfisher like-for-like sales jumped 21.8% in the three months to June 13, thanks to lockdown
  // But in the first three months of the year, there was a 24.8% sales drop as stores were forced to close amid the pandemicB&Q and Screwfix owner Kingfisher has revealed a surge in sales during lockdown as the home and DIY giant was allowed to keep shops open as an “essential” retailer.
  Bosses said like-for-like sales jumped 21.8 per cent in the three months to June 13, the peak lock
  
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• John Lewis Partnership under fire for lack of diversity in top ranks

  17-06-2020 09:55
  // John Lewis Partnership under fire for not having enough people of colour in its top ranks
  // Only 3 directors on the permanent senior UK team are from an ethnic minorityJohn Lewis Partnership has reportedly been criticised for its lack of diversity in its top ranks, with just six of its 158 senior UK managers being non-white.
  Only three directors on the permanent senior UK team are from an ethnic minority – chairman Sharon White, strategy director Nina Bhatia and customer service direct
  
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• John Lewis comes under fire for lack of diversity in top ranks

  17-06-2020 09:55
  // John Lewis comes under fire for not having enough people of colour in its top ranks
  // Only 3 directors on the permanent senior UK team are from an ethnic minorityJohn Lewis has reportedly been criticised for its lack of diversity in its top ranks, with just six of its 158 senior UK managers being non-white.
  Only three directors on the permanent senior UK team are from an ethnic minority – chairman, Sharon White, strategy director Nina Bhatia and customer service director Bérang&
  
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• Boohoo snaps up what’s left of Oasis & Warehouse

  17-06-2020 09:50
  // Boohoo buys Oasis & Warehouse’s online and IP business for £5.25m from Hilco Capital
  // Oasis & Warehouse Group went into administration in April, but all its stores shut down as Hilco only acquired parts of the business
  // Boohoo also reveals strong results in its first quarter trading updateBoohoo has acquired the online businesses and all associated intellectual property of Oasis and Warehouse in a deal worth £5.25 million from Hilco Capital.
  The Oasis and Warehou
  
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• Boohoo predicts revenue boost as it snaps up Oasis and Warehouse brands

  17-06-2020 09:39
  Online fashion retailer expects 25% growth in revenues after pivot to sales of lockdown wardrobe staples
  
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• Boohoo buys Oasis and Warehouse brands for £5.25m

  17-06-2020 09:39
  Online fashion retailer predicts growth of 25 per cent as shoppers snap up lockdown staples
  
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• Debenhams reopens another 38 stores after initial 50 on Monday

  17-06-2020 09:08
  // Debenhams confirms it will reopen an additional 38 stores in England today
  // It follows the “successful reopening” of 50 stores on Monday, when lockdown ended for non-essential retail
  // 20 other Debenhams stores will still not exit lockdown and will remain shut for goodDebenhams has announced it will reopen a further 38 stores in England today, following the “successful reopening” of an initial 50 stores on Monday when lockdown for non-essential retail came
  
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• Understanding security

  17-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Guest post: By Regis Massicard, Europe (SEPA) Payment Strategic Director, Ingenico. As online shopping and payment technology advances, merchants are becoming increasingly aware of the growing... View Article
  
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• Pret A Manger pilots first click and collect service

  17-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Pret A Manger is piloting its first  click and collect service as it looks to find new ways  for customers to order its food now that the... View Article
  
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• Poundstretcher could close up to 253 stores

  17-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Poundstretcher could close up to 253 stores as part of a survival plan. The discount retailer has  launched a Company Voluntary Arrangement proposal as it looks to... View Article
  
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• Kingfisher unveils new strategy as it posts drop in sales and profits

  17-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Kingfisher, the owner of B&Q and Screwfix, has posted  a decline in  full year sales and profits as it embarks on a new strategy to transform... View Article
  
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• Boohoo posts strong Q1 performance as it acquires Oasis and Warehouse

  17-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Boohoo has reported strong trading in its first quarter despite the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. Revenues in the three months to 31 May increased by... View Article
  
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