Retail news

• Landsec to sell almost a third of its £12.8bn property portfolio

  19-10-2020 19:35
  
  Firm will sell some of its hotel, leisure and retail parks to focus on offices, stores and homesLandsec, one of Britain’s biggest property companies, has revealed that it plans to sell off almost a third of its £12.8bn property portfolio over the next few years, as it looks to focus on growth opportunities in cities.The property group behind the Trinity Leeds shopping centre and Bluewater in Kent said that it intends to sell assets worth around £4bn over four to five years, and
  
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• Boohoo loses fifth of value after confirming auditor will leave

  19-10-2020 19:29
  Fashion retailer’s shares tumble as PwC prepares to resign after six years
  
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• Retail footfall drops after three-tier Covid restrictions take effect

  19-10-2020 17:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // UK retail footfall drops 3.1% as government’s three-tiered Covid restrictions came into force
  // In terms of year-on-year performance, overall footfall across high streets, shopping centres and retail parks fell 32%Retail footfall across the UK has dropped since the government’s three-tiered Covid restrictions were implemented late last week.
  All retail destinations saw footfall decline by 3.1 per cent collectively as the new system had an “immediate impact” on retail
  
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• 5 minutes with Priya Downes, Co-Founder, Nudea

  19-10-2020 17:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Tell me a bit about the Nudea story.
  Founded in 2018 and launched in October 2019, Nudea is a direct-to-consumer online underwear brand that is modernising the bra purchasing process. We’re reshaping the bra fitting experience from measurement to the product with bras and knickers that are engineered to actually fit and look great across all sizes.
  Eighty per cent of British women are wearing the wrong size which is why we created our own bespoke fitting tools, including our hero product
  
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• Landsec to sell off a third of its portfolio in shift from retail

  19-10-2020 15:04
  Developer says it remains committed to London but will focus on ‘new growth opportunities’
  
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• Alibaba/Sun Art: fresh meat

  19-10-2020 14:51
  The Chinese group’s plan to increase its produce offer is a tasty one
  
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• Watches of Switzerland hires Hilton hotel veteran as new chairman

  19-10-2020 14:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Watches of Switzerland appoints Ian Carter as non-executive chairman
  // Carter has worked for the last 15 years with Hilton Worldwide
  // Senior independent director Tea Colaianni has taken over as interim chair until Carter joins on November 1Watches of Switzerland has appointed a new non-executive chairman to bring “a wealth of commercial, business and board experience” to the business.
  The group, which includes the Mappin & Webb, Goldsmiths, Mayors and Watches of Switzerland
  
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• Mask-detecting CCTV cameras can now prevent you entering a store without a mask

  19-10-2020 13:29 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  CCTV cameras using artificial intelligence to prevent shoppers not wearing masks from entering stores are being rolled out across the UK.
  As new coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket to unprecedented levels across the country, retailers are looking to new technologies to help them tackle non-compliance with mask rules in their stores.
  The new system, developed by Vivacity, uses AI to determine if a customer approaching the door of a store is wearing a mask across their nose and mouth.Customers
  
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• PayPal sparks anger after introducing £12 charge for “inactive” customers

  19-10-2020 12:45 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  PayPal has announced controversial new plans to charge customers and businesses “inactivity fees” if they don’t use their account for extended periods.
  The payments giant will begin charging £12 per month for accounts left inactive for over 12 months, starting from December 26 this year.
  PayPal will identify an account as “inactive” if no one has logged in, sent or received money for over a year.
  Only accounts with funds in will be charged, and PayPal will not
  
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• Poundland to roll out chilled and frozen ranges to 40 stores with new acquisition

  19-10-2020 12:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Poundland outlines plans to roll out chilled and frozen ranges to 40 more stores by Christmas
  // Up to six stores a week are set to receive the installation of chiller and freezer cabinets from October to DecemberPoundland has launched plans to roll out its chilled and frozen ranges to 40 more stores just days after acquiring frozen specialist Fultons Foods.
  The discount retailer has lined up 12 stores for new frozen ‘shop-in-shops’ in October .
  Up to six stores a week are set to
  
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• Co-op CEO urges PM to extend free school meals into “possible circuit breaker” half term

  19-10-2020 10:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Co-op wrote to Boris Johnson, insisting that children eligible for free school meals are not left hungry during a possible ‘circuit breaker’ half term
  // The government refused to extend the summer holiday meal vouchers scheme into half term
  // Co-op has pledged to provide vouchers during the October half termCo-op chief executive Steve Murrells has sent an open letter to Boris Johnson calling for children eligible to receive free school meals to not be left hungry in case of a po
  
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• Alibaba to pay $3.6bn to take control of Chinese supermarket chain Sun Art

  19-10-2020 10:28
  Ecommerce group raises stake to 72% as it doubles down on grocery delivery
  
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• Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s Philip Day plots to rescue Peacocks

  19-10-2020 10:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group owner Philip Day plots to save budget chain Peacocks
  // The fashion group filed notice of its intention to appoint administrators earlier this month
  // The deal means Peacocks would be acquired out of administrationEdinburgh Woollen Mill Group (EWM) owner Philip Day is reportedly scurrying to save value fashion retailer Peacocks and jettison the rest of the group.
  EWM Group, which houses Peacocks, Jaeger, Austin Reed and Ponden Home, filed notice of its inten
  
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• Hamleys to cut more than 25% of staff

  19-10-2020 09:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Hamleys to cut 60 of its 208 staff
  // Redundancies come as historic toy store feels the hit of lockdown London on tourist tradeHistoric toy shop Hamleys will cut more than a quarter of its workforce according to a report by the Guardian.
  The world’s oldest toyshop confirmed that 60 of its 208 staff working in the Regent Street store and at its head quarters will leave as part of its redundancy programme.READ MORE: Hamleys CEO David Smith to resignHamleys was forced to close its stores i
  
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• Intu Lakeside, Watford, Victoria Centre and Braehead under new management

  19-10-2020 09:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Four Intu SGS centres under new management by Global Mutual
  // Lakeside, Watford, Nottingham’s Victoria Centre and Glasgow’s Braehead centre leave Intu Properties’ portfolioIntu Lakeside, Watford, Victoria in Nottingham and Braehead in Glasgow have been transferred to new management under Global Mutual, with Savills appointed as property managers.
  The group of shopping centres which were part of Intu SGS will now be run by Global Mutual.
  As of Monday, Intu Victoria Centre is
  
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• Intu Lakeside, Watford, Victoria and Braehead snapped up

  19-10-2020 09:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Intu SGS group acquired by Global Mutual
  // Lakeside, Watford, Nottingham’s Victoria and Glasgow’s Braehead centre leave Intu portfolioIntu Lakeside, Watford, Victoria in Nottingham and Braehead in Glasgow have been taken over by Global Mutual, with Savills appointed as property managers.
  The group of shopping centres which are known as Intu SGS have left the Intu properties portfolio effective from today, and will now be run by Global Mutual.READ MORE: Intu Potteries snapped up b
  
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• PwC resigns as Boohoo auditor

  19-10-2020 09:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // PwC exits Boohoo as auditor after six years
  // Fast fashion retailer says it is now on the hunt for a replacementPwC has resigned from its role as auditor for fast fashion retailer Boohoo over concerns about the risk of continuing to work for the group, according to the Financial Times.
  Boohoo has hit the headlines recently over investigations into a multi-million pound money laundering network in Leicester and reports of underpayment of its staff across its supply chain and staff operating w
  
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• Pandemic causes a record 11,000 shops to close in 2020

  19-10-2020 08:54 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Total net loss of 6,001 stores in 2020, double the rate of closures in 2019
  // York, Durham and Corby are worst-hit areas
  // Despite results, Local Data Company says “there are opportunities for retailers who are able to weather this storm”A whopping 11,000 shops have been forced to close in the first half of 2020 due to the coronavirus lockdown, according research from the Local Data company and PwC.
  The report found a total of 11,000 chain operator outlets shut their doors betwe
  
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• My parents are stuck with an unsafe washing machine

  19-10-2020 08:00
  
  The Hotpoint model was recalled in January but there’s been no replacement and it is causing stressIn January you featured a complaint in response to the recall of Hotpoint washing machines that posed a potential fire risk. Nine months on, my elderly parents are still waiting for a replacement for theirs, which they bought in December 2015.They were told by the manufacturer, Whirlpool, that the appliance could not be repaired; they were instead sent labels reminding them not to use it unle
  
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• Alibaba buys control of Chinese grocery chain Sun Art for $3.6bn

  19-10-2020 07:13
  Group buys stake from France’s Auchan to help offset subdued growth in core ecommerce business
  
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• Zalando acquires Swiss mobile body scanning developer Fision

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Online fashion retailer Zalando has acquired Swiss based mobile body scanner development company Fision. In a statement, Zalando said the body scanning app and virtual dressing... View Article
  
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• West End retailers aim to win back shoppers in run-up to Christmas

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Retail businesses in London’s West End have unveiled a raft of shopping guidelines to ensure that they provide a safe, covid-secure environment for shoppers, retail and... View Article
  
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• West End aims to win back shoppers over festive period

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Retail businesses in London’s West End have unveiled a raft of shopping guidelines to ensure that they provide a safe, covid-secure environment for shoppers, retail and... View Article
  
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• Watches of Switzerland Group appoints new chairman

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Watches of Switzerland Group has appointed Ian Carter as its non-executive chairman. Due to take up the role on 1 November, Carter has worked for the... View Article
  
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• Want a bicycle by Christmas? 'If you leave it till December there will be no stock'

  19-10-2020 01:00
  
  Australians are usually able to walk into a store on Christmas eve and walk out wheeling a bike – but that’s certainly not the case this yearThe massive surge in demand for bicycles during the Covid-19 shutdown has caused shortages of bikes worldwide, with the industry warning that anyone leaving their shopping too late is likely to be disappointed this holiday season.Bicycle Industries Australia general manager Peter Bourke said the shortage was affecting all bike retailers, from bo
  
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• John Lewis Partnership enhances click and collect service in time for Christmas

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The John Lewis Partnership has enhanced its click and collect service through two new initiatives as it looks to make shopping more convenient for customers this... View Article
  
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• Isabel Marant’s 5 Digital Transformation approaches

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  French fashion house, Isabel Marant, has embarked on a digital transformation project with Cegid. The brand is deploying various new omnichannel services in France and abroad.... View Article
  
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• Interview: Story brings new look to aesthetics industry

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With a mission to present a fresh face for the aesthetics treatments industry, Story is the new brand in the marketplace that is looking to expand... View Article
  
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• Burberry employees graduate from in-house Data Academy

  19-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Burberry has announced that the first batch of employees have graduated from its in-house Data Academy. The two-year programme aims to help employees learn cutting-edge data... View Article
  
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