Retail news

• Marks & Spencer job cuts highlight how slow it has been to change

  18-08-2020 20:56
  
  Coronavirus crisis shows retailer was already behind in schedule in its recovery plan
  There has barely been a moment in the past 20 years when Marks & Spencer has not been in restructuring mode, so nobody can be shocked that the Covid crisis will accelerate the loss of 7,000 jobs, or 9% of the workforce. The chief executive, Steve Rowe, conceded last October that his five-year plan for the clothing side, the perennially troublesome half, was 18 months behind schedule. Something was bound to
  
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• Marks & Spencer job cuts highlight how slow company has been to change

  18-08-2020 20:56
  
  Coronavirus crisis shows retailer was already behind schedule in its recovery plan
  There has barely been a moment in the past 20 years when Marks & Spencer has not been in restructuring mode, so nobody can be shocked that the Covid crisis will accelerate the loss of 7,000 jobs, or 9% of the workforce. The chief executive, Steve Rowe, conceded last October that his five-year plan for the clothing side, the perennially troublesome half, was 18 months behind schedule. Something was bound to giv
  
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• Five reasons Marks & Spencer is struggling against its competitors

  18-08-2020 20:02
  
  The coronavirus has had a big impact on the retailer but that can’t hide other shortcomings
  Like many other retailers Marks & Spencer has been hit hard by the pandemic – but it is also dealing with years of mis-steps.1. Becoming unfashionable. M&S remains the UK’s biggest seller of clothes, by value, but it has lost ground because it has failed to find a price and fashion formula to compete against rivals like Primark, Zara and new online labels like Hush. Continue read
  
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• Asda beefs up grocery delivery service as online sales double

  18-08-2020 19:00
  
  Retailer to increase capacity by 40% as it extends partnership with courier Uber Eats
  Asda is to expand its grocery delivery capacity by 40% and extend a partnership with takeaway courier group Uber Eats after a surge in demand for home shopping during the coronavirus pandemic.The retailer, which is owned by US group Walmart, said it was aiming to make 1m deliveries a week by the end of next year, up from 700,000 at present after online sales doubled in the three months to the end of July. Its d
  
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• M&S’s wannabe speed freak always held up on recovery road

  18-08-2020 18:37
  M&S boss Steve Rowe is snarled up; IOD faces existential crisis amid lapses from its guidelines
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs; S&P 500 hits record high – as it happened

  18-08-2020 18:34
  
  Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as high street chain M&S announces streamlining programme, and hefty job cutsLatest: S&P 500 hits new intra-day recordSummary: M&S struggles; Walmart shinesFull story: M&S cuts 7k jobs in next three months
  Breaking: 7,000 jobs to go at M&SJobs at risk in UK stores, central support and regional management 5.34pm BST And finally... the London stock market had closed at its lowest point in over a week.The FTSE 100 index
  
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• Asda to focus on ecommerce as growth trails that of rivals

  18-08-2020 18:12
  Walmart-owned group looks to stem slide in market share ahead of sale or IPO
  
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• Unsung Hero: James Eid, Founder, Signature Masks

  18-08-2020 18:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Growing up in an entrepreneurial and business-minded family, it was only natural that this would rub off on James Eid.
  A business management student at Lancaster University, the 19-year-old saw an opportunity in the very early, pre-lockdown days of the coronavirus pandemic and decided to buy and sell face masks on campus.
  Since then, his small venture has expanded into Signature Masks, an online shop where he provides affordable face masks for all. He even donated masks to Beirut following the
  
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• Debenhams begins to reopen in-store food offerings

  18-08-2020 17:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Debenhams relaunches in-store food and drink offerings after being closed since March due to the pandemic
  // Debenhams is reopening the food offers in over half of its 124 stores this month
  // By September, it aims to have 100 new food offers up and runningDebenhams has announced that it will now start to re-open its in-store food and drink offerings after they all went into lockdown in late March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  When the department store chain re-opened 124 stores across the
  
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• Retailers must start gearing up now for a peak season like no other

  18-08-2020 17:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Heather Boyd, VP Global Marketing at Metapack
  Every year, retailers around the world set to work planning for the peak in demand that builds between Black Friday and Boxing Day. Standard peak season is hard enough to manage and this year’s peak is shaping up to be a task of epic proportions.
  Unlike previous peaks, this year the majority of demand will show up online. Physical stores around the world have been forced to close their doors due to Covid-19, and even as they re-open, many consu
  
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• Calls for action mount as retail job cuts tally surpasses 41,000

  18-08-2020 16:27 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Calls for action mount as M&S job cuts brings retail tally to more than 41,000
  // There are fears more job cuts will come as the furlough ends in October
  // Labour has called for targeted support while Usdaw urged the government to intervene to save the high streetMarks & Spencer’s latest round of jobs cuts brings the total number of redundancies and roles at risk in the UK’s embattled retail sector to more than 41,000 since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
  Acco
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs; S&P 500 hits record high – business live

  18-08-2020 16:13
  
  Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as high street chain M&S announces streamlining programme, and hefty job cutsLatest: S&P 500 hits new intra-day recordSummary: M&S struggles; Walmart shinesFull story: M&S cuts 7k jobs in next three months
  Breaking: 7,000 jobs to go at M&SJobs at risk in UK stores, central support and regional management 3.13pm BST Here’s another handy chart - showing how the US stock market is increasingly dominated by its big
  
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• Supermarket sales in Great Britain slowed after face-covering rule

  18-08-2020 14:36
  
  Data shows 2 million fewer supermarket visits shortly after measure was introducedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSupermarket sales have begun to slow in Great Britain since the easing of lockdown restrictions, as the introduction of compulsory face coverings in stores in England and Scotland initially deterred some shoppers.Take-home grocery sales slowed by 14.4% year-on-year in the three months to 9 August, as more shops and hospitality venues reopened, making
  
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• Supermarket sales in Britain slowed after face-coverings rule

  18-08-2020 14:36
  
  Data shows 2 million fewer visits in England shortly after Covid measure was introducedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSupermarket sales have slowed in Great Britain since the easing of lockdown restrictions, as the introduction of compulsory face coverings in stores in England and Scotland initially deterred some shoppers.Take-home grocery sales slowed by 14.4% year-on-year in the three months to 9 August, as more shops and hospitality venues reopened, making c
  
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• Asda online sales surge amid shift in customer habits during pandemic

  18-08-2020 14:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Asda’s like-for-like sales jump 3.8% in the second quarter
  // The Big 4 chain saw online sales double amid lockdown, and after it increased delivery capacity by 65%Asda has said that online sales doubled in the past quarter after the coronavirus pandemic caused a “structural shift” in customer shopping habits.
  The retailer reported a 3.8 per cent jump in like-for-like sales for the three months to June 30, after online grocery sales jumped as shoppers were advised to stay at
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs; Walmart sales surge – business live

  18-08-2020 14:19
  
  Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as high street chain M&S announces streamlining programme, and hefty job cutsLatest: US giant Walmart does wellFull story: M&S cuts 7k jobs in next three monthsBreaking: 7,000 jobs to go at M&SJobs at risk in UK stores, central support and regional management Clothing sales down 30% since stores reopened 1.19pm BST A quick recap 12.42pm BST Back in the UK, the government has announced that at least 35 million discounted meal
  
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• Fenwick losses deepen amid sales drop

  18-08-2020 14:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Fenwick’s annual loss deepens to £46m on the back of 9% decline in annual sales
  // xThese results cover the year ending January 31, before the pandemic gripped the UKFenwick’s annual loss has widened after a drop in sales during a full-year period that doesn’t even include the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
  According to its results for the year ending January 31 this year, before Covid-19 gripped the UK and much of the world in a crisis, the department store chain
  
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• Walmart pushes ahead as pandemic winner

  18-08-2020 13:50
  US grocery sales rise almost a tenth as world’s biggest retailer reports surge in online orders
  
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• Walmart pushes ahead as a pandemic winner

  18-08-2020 13:50
  US online sales almost double but retailer warns growth will ‘normalise’ as stimulus fades
  
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• Home Depot sales soar as Americans turn to DIY

  18-08-2020 13:46
  World’s largest home improvement retailer offers rare bright spot as housebound shoppers splash out on renovations
  
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• Online grocery sales jump 117% in “the most dramatic change of shopping behaviour we’ve ever seen”

  18-08-2020 13:32 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Online grocery sales skyrocketed more than 100 per cent over the past month accounting for hundreds of millions more pounds spent on food compared to last year.
  In the four weeks to August 8 online grocery sales rose by 117 per cent, achieving a record market share of 14 per cent.
  According to the latest data from Nielsen, UK shoppers spent £678 million more on FMCG products during the month, but online sales accounted for a whopping 97 per cent of this growth, equating to £658 milli
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs; Walmart sales surge - business live

  18-08-2020 13:17
  
  Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as high street chain M&S announces streamlining programme, and hefty job cutsFull story: M&S cuts 7k jobs in next three monthsBreaking: 7,000 jobs to go at M&SJobs at risk in UK stores, central support and regional management Clothing sales down 30% since stores reopened
  Microsoft ‘helps cut management layers’ 12.17pm BST Shares in Walmart have rallied sharply in premarket trading, up over 5% to record levels, as
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs over three months

  18-08-2020 13:11
  
  Retailer says ‘streamlining’ programme will help it emerge from coronavirus crisis with lower cost baseCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMarks & Spencer is to cut 7,000 jobs over the next three months in a new round of redundancies as the retailer slashes costs and overhauls the way the business is run during the coronavirus pandemic.The job cuts will be made in its central support centre, regional management and its UK stores, adding to thejob cut
  
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• Grocery sales dip amid further lockdown relaxation

  18-08-2020 12:25 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Shoppers returning to supermarkets more regularly despite new mask rules
  // Morrisons was the winner in terms of sales growth and market share increase
  // Overall, customers spent £9.7bn over the past four weeks, the lowest level since FebruaryShoppers are returning to supermarkets more regularly than at the height of the pandemic but are spending less on each trip, according to new data.
  Morrisons was the biggest winner among the Big 4 in terms of sales growth and market share increase
  
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• Selfridges will now sell fresh produce grown inside its own stores

  18-08-2020 11:22 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Selfridges has made a surprising inroad into farming and will now sell a range of fresh produce it has grown inside its own store.
  As part of its new dramatic sustainability push, Selfridges has partnered with Infarm to install a modular vertical farming unit inside Selfridges Foodhall.
  The historic department store will both sell the fresh produce in bundles to its customers and use them in its restaurant.
  Now the seedlings have been planted, customers will be able to purchase Scarlet kale, Ner
  
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• Asics fails to drive sales since reopening stores

  18-08-2020 11:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Asics sales decline amid Covid-19 crisis
  // Losses continued to widen since reopening stores on June 15Asics has reported a drop in its sales as the business continued to struggle with trading amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
  The Japanese sportswear retailer posted a 21.5 per cent sales drop to ¥146.89 billion (£1.06 billion) in its second quarter that ended on June 30.
  Asics also recorded an operating loss of ¥3.87 billion (£280 million) compared to operating income of ¥8.
  
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• M&S to axe 7,000 jobs over next three months in overhaul

  18-08-2020 09:57
  UK retailer announces further job cuts as industry faces wave of change
  
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• M&S to axe 7,000 jobs over next three months

  18-08-2020 09:57
  UK retailer announces further job cuts as industry faces wave of change
  
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• Laura Ashley drafts in advisers to market manufacturing base

  18-08-2020 09:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Laura Ashley to market manufacturing and distribution facilities with the help of real estate advisers Avison Young
  // The freehold portfolio consists of six individual propertiesLaura Ashley has reportedly hired real estate advisers Avison Young to market its manufacturing and distribution facilities on behalf of joint administrators PwC.
  The retailer’s portfolio consists of six individual properties providing in excess of 460,000sq ft of industrial space, Property Week reported.
  The s
  
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• Sosandar revenue rises 103% as execs remain “cautiously optimistic”

  18-08-2020 09:09 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Sosandar revenue skyrockets but losses widen as it remains cautious
  // The group made investments in its team, supply chain and marketingSosandar has recorded a growth in revenue as co-chief executives Ali Hall and Julie Lavington remain “cautiously optimistic” about its future.
  After signing a deal with John Lewis and Next, the online womenswear retailer will see its products sold on the companies’ websites from the next quarter.
  For the year to March 31, Sosandar saw reven
  
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• Marks & Spencer says it will cut 7,000 jobs over three months

  18-08-2020 09:02
  
  Retailer says ‘streamlining programme’ will help it to emerge from coronavirus with lower cost baseCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMarks & Spencer is to cut about 7,000 jobs over the next three months in the latest round of redundancies at the retailer as it cuts costs and changes the business following the pandemic.The job cuts will be in its central support centre, regional management and its UK stores, adding to the swathe of job cuts announce
  
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• Hamleys CEO David Smith to resign

  18-08-2020 08:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Hamleys CEO to step down after less than 6 months
  // David Smith has held executive roles at both Debenhams and The Body Shop
  // The reasons for his departure remain unclearHamleys chief executive David Smith is due to resign after spending less than six months in his role, with reasons remaining unclear.
  Smith, a former Debenhams and The Body Shop executive, is set to leave the world-famous 260-year old toy retail business by the end of the month.
  Hamleys has faced tough trading conditions s
  
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• Hamleys CEO David Smith to depart

  18-08-2020 08:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Hamleys CEO to step down after less than 6 months
  // David Smith has held executive roles at both Debenhams and The Body Shop
  // The reasons for his departure remain unclearHamleys chief executive David Smith is due to resign after spending less than six months in his role, with reasons remaining unclear.
  Smith, a former Debenhams and The Body Shop executive, is set to leave the world-famous 260-year old toy retail business by the end of the month.
  Hamleys has faced tough trading conditions s
  
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• M&S to scrap 7000 jobs

  18-08-2020 08:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // M&S will cut 7000 jobs over the next 3 months as part of a radical shake-up
  // The plans came after the retailer witnessed a “material shift” in tradeMarks & Spencer has confirmed it will axe a total of 7000 jobs over the next three months as part of its efforts to transform the company amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
  The job cuts are expected to take place across stores, regional management and its support centre.
  M&S said the plans came after seeing a “materia
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs after Covid-19 hits sales - business live

  18-08-2020 08:37
  
  Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as high street chain M&S announces streamlining programme, and hefty job cutsBreaking: 7,000 jobs to go at M&SClothing sales have slumped this yearMicrosoft ‘helps cut management layers’ 7.37am BST The scale of the slump in M&S’s clothing and homeware business is quite stunning -- down almost 30% since stores reopened in mid-June.Over the last eight weeks, in-stores sales are down 47.9% compared with a year
  
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• M&S to cut 7,000 jobs over next three months

  18-08-2020 08:24
  UK retailer says reduction is part of a plan to ‘streamline the business’
  
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• Dr Martens’ ‘for life’ pledge has left me worn out

  18-08-2020 08:00
  
  I spent £145 on a pair because they agreed to repair or replace them – but I can’t claimIn 2016 I purchased a pair of Dr Martens shoes under its “for life” scheme, whereby it agreed to repair or replace worn-out DM shoes. It seemed too good to be true, but I went ahead and spent £145 on a pair that normally cost £60.Four years on, I tried to claim on its guarantee but it refused to honour it, claiming that I am “not on its system”. I remember
  
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• C&A set for revival after lost decade

  18-08-2020 06:00
  Chairman Allan Leighton appoints new chief as he breaks control of founding Brenninkmeijer family
  
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• America’s largest shopping mall owner gets a new tenant: itself

  18-08-2020 05:00
  Simon Property Group has bought two famous retail chains in the space of a week
  
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• Waitrose moves to win hearts and minds of Ocado customers

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Waitrose has launched a new marketing campaign to persuade shoppers to move to its own online shopping website from Ocado. The supermarket is ending its relationship with... View Article
  
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• Waitrose makes move to win hearts and minds of Ocado customers

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Waitrose has launched a new marketing campaign to persuade shoppers to move to its own online shopping website from Ocado. The supermarket is ending its relationship with... View Article
  
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• Sosandar posts strong revenue uplift

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Women’s fashion retailer Sosandar has increased its full year revenue by 103% to £9.03 million. However, the company has reported an EBITDA loss of £7.66 million for... View Article
  
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• Sofas & Stuff launches two new showrooms

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Sofas & Stuff has launched a new showroom in Knutsford and will open another in Sutton Coldfield next week. Both stores will display large collections of the brand’s handmade sofas... View Article
  
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• Rent the Runway to close all physical stores

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Fashion subscription company Rent the Runway is to close all of its physical stores as it looks to focus on its investments on digital and drop boxes... View Article
  
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• Q&A: Adam Hindle, Managing Director, Fluid Digital – Manchester

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Adam Hindle is the Founder and Managing Director of Fluid Digital, an ecommerce growth agency based in Manchester. Adam is driven by ecommerce and maximising success for clients through Magento,... View Article
  
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• Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs in next three months

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has announced plans to cut around 7,000 jobs as it looks to streamline the business both at a store and management level. The... View Article
  
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• Hamleys chief executive to step down

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Hamleys chief executive David Smith is to step down after just seven months in the role. According to Sky News, Smith is set to leave the... View Article
  
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• Advisors called in to market Laura Ashley manufacturing and distribution facilities

  18-08-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Administrators for Laura Ashley have drafted in property advisors to market the failed fashion and homeware retailer’s manufacturing and distribution facilities. PwC have appointed Avison Young... View Article
  
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