Retail news

• Streetwear brand Supreme to be sold to Timberland owner VF for $2.1bn

  09-11-2020 20:41
  
  James Jebbia founded brand in New York in 1989Denver-based VF owns Vans and The North Face tooSupreme, the cult streetwear brand, is being sold to VF Corporation, the Denver-based parent company of Vans, The North Face and Timberland, in a deal valued at $2.1bn.Founded by James Jebbia, a UK-raised child actor turned skateboarder who created the brand at a small downtown New York store in 1989, Supreme has been at the forefront of a streetwear revolution that, in terms of marketing and exclusivit
  
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• John Lewis embrace ‘festive season like no other’ with over 100 virtual experiences

  09-11-2020 19:16 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  John Lewis and Waitrose are preparing for ‘the most virtual Christmas to date’ with over 100 virtual festive events for customers.
  Its Virtual Christmas Shop launched back in September, with over 64,000 visitors since opening its online doors.
  Now John Lewis has revealed a season of virtual entertainment – from makeup classes for a festive Zoom party to online cooking classes with Waitrose Cookery School.
  Customers can sign up for the ‘Prepare Ahead’ Chris
  
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• Countrywide investors shouldn’t put house on successful approach

  09-11-2020 19:14 via ft.com
  Connells puts rival estate agent into play; Dignity risks losing its dignity
  
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• Market Snapshot: Italy

  09-11-2020 18:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Italy continues to be one of the worst affected countries in Europe in terms of Covid-19 pandemic, with over 41,700 deaths reported and 960,000 active cases at the time of writing.
  Aside from a strong focus on cars, electronics, and fashion products, one of the biggest drivers of Italy’s economy is tourism, and the huge amount of retail sales that it brings. But since the start of the pandemic, tourism levels have dropped worldwide due to lockdowns, strict quarantine rules and heightened
  
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• Footfall down 75% as England's lockdown takes toll on retailers

  09-11-2020 18:07
  
  BRC and ShopperTrak data shows new Covid controls brought halt to burst of activity Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFootfall has plummeted since the imposition of the new lockdown in England and is down by 75% on a year ago, according to figures highlighting the dramatic impact of the tough new restrictions on retailers.Data compiled by the British Retail Consortium and ShopperTrak, and seen by the Guardian, underlined how a burst of consumer activity before the
  
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• WHSmith expected to post loss as Covid dries up travel sales

  09-11-2020 17:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // WHSmith expected to post a pre-tax loss of between £70m and £75m for the year to August 31
  // It will reveal its full year trading update on Thursday November 12
  // WHSmith’s travel stores have seen revenues slump on the back of global travel restrictionsWHSmith is forecast to post an annual loss after the coronavirus pandemic hammered sales revenues from its travel hub stores.
  The heritage retailer is expected to report a pre-tax loss of between £70 million and £
  
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• Planet Organic goes nationwide with online expansion

  09-11-2020 17:31 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Planet Organic to go nationwide for the first time as it expands its online business
  // It follows spike in demand for online groceries following the Covid-19 pandemic
  // It currently has 11 London stores and its online offering was limited to the cityHealth-focused grocery retailer Planet Organic is set to go fully nationwide for the first time as it expands its online business across the UK.
  According to PA Wires, the London-based retailer plans to expand its home delivery operations across
  
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• Lidl increases hourly wages for 20,000 shop floor staff

  09-11-2020 17:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Lidl entry-level hourly wages to increase from £9.30 to £9.50 outside London & £10.75 to £10.85 within the M25
  // The pay rise will benefit over 20,000 staff, representing 80% of Lidl’s workforce in Great Britain
  // Staff to benefit from a minimum of 78p more than the current government national minimum wageLidl has announced plans to increase the wages of all staff who are on hourly rates.
  For those outside of London, the German discounter said it would incr
  
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• VF snaps up streetwear line Supreme in $2bn deal

  09-11-2020 16:46 via ft.com
  Denver-based conglomerate adds brand with devoted fan base to its apparel portfolio
  
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• Brexit: Supermarkets in Northern Ireland face empty shelf threat

  09-11-2020 15:04 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Big 4 grocers warn of empty shelves in Northern Ireland if government does not provide clarity about their trading status when the Brexit transition period ends
  // There are currently concerns that it would not be possible to stock certain items from January 1
  // Northern Ireland is expected to abide by EU rules after the Brexit transition period endsSupermarkets have warned that their shops in Northern Ireland could end up with empty shelves unless the government provides clarity about their
  
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• Non-essential retail in Wales reopens as firebreak lockdown comes to an end

  09-11-2020 14:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Wales’ non-essential retail reopens from today as 17-day firebreak lockdown comes to an end
  // Other high street businesses like gyms, pubs, cafes and hairdressers also allowed to reopen
  // Supermarkets can also sell non-essential items againWales’ non-essential retailers have been allowed to reopen from today after the country’s 17-day firebreak lockdown came to an end.
  Supermarkets can again sell non-essential items while gyms, hairdressers and places of worship are also a
  
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• Experts predict “permanent shift” to online shopping as Black Friday approaches

  09-11-2020 14:54 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Online retail sales could grow between 35 per cent and 45 per cent this Black Friday.
  New research from IMRG finds that with non-essential stores closed from now until December, this year’s Black Friday will likely signal a seismic shift in the retail landscape.
  Growth for online shopping so far this year is up 34.9 per compared to last year, when it grew by just 6.7 per cent.
  Looking ahead to Black Friday, IMRG said online retail sales could grow by between 35 per cent and 45 per cent du
  
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• Morrisons brings back cafe takeaway service for second lockdown

  09-11-2020 14:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Morrisons is reopening its hot-food-to-go takeaway service in all of its 404 cafés nationwide
  // The return of the service is done in time for the second lockdown in England
  // Orders can be placed in person, over the phone or via Deliveroo in select areasMorrisons is reopening its national hot-food-to-go takeaway service in all 404 of its in-store cafés nationwide, in time for the second lockdown in England.
  A wide range of takeaway meals will be on offer as part of the return
  
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• Heritage bookshop Stanfords launches crowdfunding scheme to survive Covid-19

  09-11-2020 11:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Stanfords launches online crowdfunding scheme to avoid closure
  // The travel and map bookshop aims to raise £120,000 to help it to survive until spring 2021
  // Footfall at the independent retailer has dropped during the Covid-19 pandemicStanfords has launched a crowdfunding project in response to the Covid-19 crisis as the heritage retailer fights to stave off permanent closure.
  The travel and map bookshop in central London, which was established in 1853, launched an online scheme with
  
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• Aldi to extend UK click-and-collect to over 200 stores by Christmas

  09-11-2020 10:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Aldi to extend its trial of click-and-collect to up to more than 200 additional stores by Christmas
  // It launched its first ever UK click-and-collect service in the Midlands in September
  // Aldi will invest £1.3 billion over the next two yearsAldi is set to extend its trial of click-and-collect to up to more than 200 additional UK stores between now and Christmas.
  The German discounter begun its first ever UK click-and-collect service in the Midlands in September as part of a trial to
  
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• John Lewis urges government to provide clarity on Christmas reopening

  09-11-2020 09:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis Partnership operations director Andrew Murphy urges gov’t to provide clarity on stores reopening for Christmas
  // The firm fears it will have insufficient time to prepare for seasonal demandJohn Lewis Partnership has reportedly urged the government to provide clarity on whether stores can reopen in time for Christmas following temporary closures in England due to the second lockdown.
  The partnership’s group operations director Andrew Murphy said the government must &ldq
  
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• Mike Ashley complains at being “frozen out” of Edinburgh Woollen Mill auction

  09-11-2020 08:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group hits out after being “frozen out” of the auction of 3 Edinburgh Woollen Mill brands
  // 2 of the 4 brands in Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group’s stable of high street chains fell into administration on Friday
  // Administrators from FRP Advisory confirmed that 56 Edinburgh Woollen Mill stores have now permanently shutMike Ashley has reportedly expressed his anger after his company Frasers Group was excluded from the auction of three Edinburgh Wooll
  
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• Biden to unite party, UK-US trade, Westfield vs tenants

  09-11-2020 06:00 via ft.com
  
  President-elect Joe Biden will face a power struggle between liberal and progressive Democrats
  
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• Wren expands into US

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Wren Kitchens has expanded into the American market with the opening of a new showroom in Milford in Connecticut. The retailer is also planning to launch... View Article
  
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• REPORT: The State of Frontline Training 2020

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  How to better support your frontline retail associates in the storm of business disruption. If 2020’s made one thing clear, it’s that frontline employees are essential.... View Article
  
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• Piper exits Mindful Chef

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Piper, the specialist investor in consumer brands, has exited its investment in the Midful Chef healthy recipe box meals company to Nestlé. Founded in 2015 by... View Article
  
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• John Lewis and Waitrose prepare for their most virtual Christmas yet

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  John Lewis and Waitrose are preparing for their most virtual Christmas to date due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The John Lewis department... View Article
  
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• Dobbies unveils Christmas advertising campaign

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Garden centre retailer Dobbies has launched a new festive advertising campaign called The Joy of Dobbies. The campaign includes three hero TV ads that aim to... View Article
  
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• Borough Market launches postal delivery service

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  London’s Borough Market is launching a carbon neutral postal delivery service to enable foodies from across the UK to order food from its traders.  The new... View Article
  
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• Aldi extends click and collect trial to 200 more stores

  09-11-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi has announced plans to extend its trial of a click and collect service to more than 200 additional stores by Christmas. The supermarket launched the... View Article
  
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