Retail news

• Supermarkets in Wales to sell only essentials during lockdown

  22-10-2020 23:01
  
  First minister Mark Drakeford says move will create ‘level playing field’ for traders forced to closeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSupermarkets in Wales will not be allowed to sell items such as clothing and hardware during the Covid-19 firebreak lockdown, the first minister, Mark Drakeford, has said. Drakeford said it will be “made clear” to supermarkets they are only able to sell products that are classed as “essential goods&rdq
  
  Read more

• Gap to switch to franchise model in Europe

  22-10-2020 20:20
  US-listed group could close more than 100 stores in new restructuring
  
  Read more

• Hermès and Kering add to signs of luxury goods recovery

  22-10-2020 19:26
  French groups beat third-quarter sales expectations buoyed by Asia
  
  Read more

• Adidas considers selling Reebok for less than £1.8bn

  22-10-2020 17:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Adidas mulls sale of Reebok
  // The German sportswear giant would accept less than £1.8bn
  // An internal review is in early stagesAdidas is reportedly mulling the sale of its Reebok brand, the British sportswear label it acquired in 2006.
  The German sportswear giant said it would accept less than £1.8 billion for Reebok.
  An internal review is in its early stages and the company will decide in the coming months whether to proceed with a sale, Manager Magazin reported.READ MORE:
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• US retailer Gap set to close all Europe stores and UK warehouse

  22-10-2020 17:40
  
  Company plans to operate in Europe through ‘partnerships’ amid fashion chains crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe American fashion chain Gap is considering closing all its 129 company-owned stores in Europe and a distribution centre in Rugby next year, potentially putting hundreds of jobs at risk.The company, which has more than 70 stores in the UK and four in Ireland, as well as outlets in France and Italy, said it now wanted to operate in Eur
  
  Read more

• US retailer Gap considering closure of all Europe stores and UK warehouse

  22-10-2020 17:40
  
  Company plans to operate in Europe through ‘partnerships’ amid fashion chains crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe American fashion chain Gap is considering closing all of its 129 company-owned stores in Europe and a distribution centre in Rugby next year, potentially putting hundreds of jobs at risk.The company, which has more than 70 stores in the UK and four in Ireland, as well as outlets in France and Italy, said it now wanted to operate in
  
  Read more

• Liverpool leaders urge people to support local retailers as region struggles in Tier 3

  22-10-2020 16:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Liverpool business leaders have called on businesses and people to support their local retailers
  // The “Help Campaign” is led by Liverpool ONE, Liverpool BID, Visit Liverpool and Marketing LiverpoolLiverpool’s business leaders have urged businesses and locals to support retail and hospitality across the region after Liverpool City Region was moved to tier three amid the pandemic.
  The “Help Campaign” is led by Liverpool ONE, Liverpool BID, Visit Liverpool and Mar
  
  Read more

• 5 minutes with Maria Hopwood, Founder, The Stripes Company

  22-10-2020 16:28 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Tell me a bit about The Stripes Company story.
  We launched back in 2006, originally named Deckchairstripes. We began as a tribute to the deckchair and our business now reflects everything they represent – homeware, garden and leisure products that revive stripes in all their brilliance.
  Why was it launched?
  I was working as a garden antique dealer and I saw so many disused deckchairs gathering dust in garden sheds, so I knew there was demand out there for brightly covered deckchair canvas
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Chancellor pledges improved support for firms & workers hit by Covid restrictions

  22-10-2020 15:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Grants of £2100 available for businesses in Tier 2 restriction areas of England to be made available
  // The Job Support Scheme, which will replace the furlough scheme, has also been made more generousBillions of pounds of extra help has been announced for businesses, including retailers, and workers hit by the latest coronavirus restrictions.
  The package, announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak today, includes making the Job Support Scheme – which replaces the current furlough system
  
  Read more

• M&S CEO Steve Rowe impersonated by hackers in voucher scam

  22-10-2020 14:13 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Marks & Spencer shoppers are being targeted by hackers posing as the company’s chief executive Steve Rowe.
  M&S says it is “investigating” fraudulent adverts which were shared widely across Facebook offering a £35 gift voucher in exchange for their personal and financial details.
  The adverts, first discovered by Parliament Street’s cyber research team, feature a photo of a man (who is not Steve Rowe), with text encouraging them to share and comment on the pos
  
  Read more

• 58% of global online sales are made from just 6 companies, 4 of which are Chinese

  22-10-2020 12:34 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Global ecommerce is dominated by just six companies which control nearly 60 per cent of the world’s digital sales, according to new research.
  A whopping 58 per cent of global online sales, which totalled $3.4 trillion last year, were made from six leading companies, four of which were Chinese.
  Amazon, by far the biggest ecommerce retailer outside of China, accounted for 13 per cent of global online sales, while its closest western rival Ebay accounted for just three per cent.
  The remaining
  
  Read more

• Prada hires former LVMH diversity director as chief inclusion officer

  22-10-2020 12:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Prada hires chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer
  // Malika Savell will be responsible for developing strategies to ensure there is a diverse representation of culturesPrada has appointed a chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for its North America division.
  Malika Savell has joined from French luxury conglomerate LVMH, where she served as cultural diversity director.
  At Prada, she will be responsible for developing policies, strategies and programmes to help ensure there is
  
  Read more

• Aldi opens 900th UK store in Berkshire

  22-10-2020 12:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Aldi opens 900th store in the UK as part of record £1.3bn investment for the next two years
  // The store is located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, in south-east England
  // Aldi has a target of operating 1200 stores in the UK in five years’ time.Aldi opened the doors to its its 900th UK store in Berkshire as pushes on with its investment and expansion scheme across the country.
  The new store, located in the town of Sandhurst, forms part of Aldi’s pledge to invest £1.3 billion
  
  Read more

• Amazon expects to make an extra $8.8bn by launching new AI search features in bid to become “product discovery engine”

  22-10-2020 11:42 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon is set to launch a raft of new machine-learning-powered search bar features which it expects will drive more than $8 billion in extra sales.
  According to leaked internal documents seen by Business Insider, Amazon is investing heavily in becoming a “product discovery engine”.
  These documents suggest that Amazon has been testing a range of new smart features for its search bar, including displaying pictures and links within its autocomplete search predictions.
  This wou
  
  Read more

• Dobbies enters convenience market with launch of Little Dobbies

  22-10-2020 11:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Dobbies to launch its first small format store – Little Dobbies
  // The new store will be located on Raeburn Place in Edinburgh
  // It will offer a range of convenience gardening productsDobbies has announced the development of its first small format store, Little Dobbies, which is set to launch in November.
  The new store will be located on Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, and will be horticulturally focused with a range of convenience gardening products.
  Little Dobbies’ offeri
  
  Read more

• Gear4music raises profit outlook after sales smash £70m

  22-10-2020 10:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Gear4music raises full year trading expectations
  // Total sales rose 42% to £70.2 million in the 6 months to September 30Gear4music has raised its full year expectations after recording a strong sales growth in its first and second quarters.
  The online retailer saw its total sales rise by 42 per cent to £70.2 million in the six months to September 30 thanks to a sales rise in the UK of 48 per cent.
  The company’s international sales increased by 36 per cent, while gross profi
  
  Read more

• Travis Perkins reaps rewards of DIY boom as sales recover

  22-10-2020 09:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Travis Perkins Q3 sales bounce back thanks to a booming DIY market since lockdown
  // Owner of Wickes & Toolstation posted a 3.9% rise in LfL sales over the 3 months to the end of Sept
  // Travis Perkins expects annual underlying earnings to be in the upper half of City expectations, £222m-£261mWickes parent company Travis Perkins has revealed a sales bounce back in the third quarter thanks to a booming DIY market since lockdown.
  The DIY and hardware business, which also ow
  
  Read more

• Chancellor to unveil new support package for Tier 2-affected businesses

  22-10-2020 09:28 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Chancellor set to reveal new plan to help businesses affected by Tier 2 restrictions
  // Currently businesses in Tier 2 do not benefit from the same government aid as those in Tier 3
  // Some of the Tier 3 support includes business grants & higher wage subsidiesChancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce a new support package for retailers and other businesses affected by Tier 2 restrictions, according to reports.
  Sunak is set to unveil a new plan to help businesses that have seen their
  
  Read more

• Amazon rolls out pilot programme on Covid testing for UK workers

  22-10-2020 09:09 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Amazon to offer Covid-19 testing for its frontline workers
  // The programme involves research scientists, engineers, procurement specialists, operators & financial analystsAmazon is rolling out a pilot programme offering Covid-19 testing for its frontline workers in the UK.
  The online retail giant said a programme launched in the US is being expanded, involving research scientists, engineers, procurement specialists, operators and financial analysts.
  Amazon said the testing arrangements c
  
  Read more

• Webinar – TOMORROW – Have you nailed down your strategy for Black Friday / Cyber Monday?

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With Black Friday approaching Klevu has partnered with industry experts for a candid, unscripted conversation with standout Shopify Plus merchants to gain firsthand insights into their business... View Article
  
  Read more

• Webinar – TODAY – Have you nailed down your strategy for Black Friday / Cyber Monday?

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With Black Friday approaching Klevu has partnered with industry experts for a candid, unscripted conversation with standout Shopify Plus merchants to gain firsthand insights into their business... View Article
  
  Read more

• Webinar: THURSDAY 5 NOVEMBER – Have you nailed down your strategy for Black Friday Cyber Monday?

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With Black Friday approaching Klevu has partnered with industry experts for a candid, unscripted conversation with standout Shopify Plus merchants to gain firsthand insights into their business... View Article
  
  Read more

• Webinar – THIS THURSDAY- Have you nailed down your strategy for Black Friday / Cyber Monday?

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With Black Friday approaching Klevu has partnered with industry experts for a candid, unscripted conversation with standout Shopify Plus merchants to gain firsthand insights into their business... View Article
  
  Read more

• Webinar: Have you nailed down your strategy for Black Friday Cyber Monday?

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With Black Friday approaching Klevu has partnered with industry experts for a candid, unscripted conversation with standout Shopify Plus merchants to gain firsthand insights into their business... View Article
  
  Read more

• Waitrose cuts the cost of hundreds of products

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Waitrose supermarket chain is cutting the prices of over 200 of its most popular own-label products by an average of more than 15%. The retailer... View Article
  
  Read more

• Prada Group appoints chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Prada Group has appointed Malika Savell as chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Prada North America. She will be responsible for developing policies, strategies... View Article
  
  Read more

• Koi Footwear launches collection with Sophie Hannah

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Manchester based vegan footwear brand Koi Footwear has launched a new collecton with lifestyle influencer Sophie Hannah. The Koi Footwear x Sophie Hannah range includes five... View Article
  
  Read more

• Gear4music hails strong first half performance

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Gear4music has said its full year results are likely to be ahead of market expectations after it experienced strong sales growth in its first and second... View Article
  
  Read more

• BRC launches toolkit to counter cyber attacks

  22-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The British Retail Consortium has developed a new toolkit to help retail businesses become more resilient to cyber attacks. The organisation has worked with experts at... View Article
  
  Read more

Follow @retailuknws on Twitter!