Retail news

• Competition watchdog investigates £6.8bn takeover of Asda

  08-12-2020 18:55
  
  Sale of supermarket chain to petrol station billionaires Mohsin and Zuber Issa announced in OctoberThe competition watchdog is investigating the £6.8bn takeover of Asda by a private equity consortium fronted by the Blackburn-based petrol station billionaires Mohsin and Zuber Issa.The deal is the second attempt by US retail giant Walmart to sell the Leeds-based supermarket chain. Last year the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the first try – an audacious attempt to merg
  
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• How can Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group revive Debenhams?

  08-12-2020 17:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Debenhams saw a glimpse of hope when Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group confirmed over the weekend that it was in 11th-hour talks with the department store chain about a possible £200 million rescue deal.
  Should the talks be successful, the deal could see Frasers Group operate Debenhams’ 124 stores under 12-month licences, and potentially save up to 12,000 jobs.
  Ashley revived his interest in taking over Debenhams after JD Sports withdrew from acquisition talks last week and placed t
  
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• Small retailers given £1bn boost on record Small Business Saturday

  08-12-2020 16:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // 15.4 million people hit the streets to shop small on Small Business Saturday last weekend
  // Between them the shoppers spent around £1.1bn on the day – a record
  // The data also shows that 2.2 million fewer people shopped during the dayMore than £1 billion was spent with the UK’s small businesses last Saturday, as shoppers had their first weekend of being able to shop in-stores before the second lockdown.
  Data from American Express showed that 15.4 million people hit t
  
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• Non-essential shops to reopen Friday when lockdown eased for majority of Scots

  08-12-2020 16:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Non-essential shops will be able to reopen on Friday in the 11 council areas Scotland currently in lockdown
  // Pubs, cafes and restaurants in these areas will be allowed to reopen on Saturday
  // Northern Ireland is also set to end its national lockdown on FridayNon-essential shops will be able to reopen in many areas of Scotland from Friday and Saturday as lockdown restrictions are eased.
  First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament today that no area of Scotlan
  
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• US housing/Ferguson: wants to live in America

  08-12-2020 15:34
  A slowdown in building would not be all bad news for London-listed plumbing group
  
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• US housing/Ferguson: I want to live in America

  08-12-2020 15:34
  A slowdown in building would not be all bad news for London-listed plumbing group
  
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• CMA launches probe into Issa brothers’ £6.8bn Asda takoever

  08-12-2020 15:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Billionaire Issa bros’ planned £6.8bn acquisition of Asda under now investigation by the CMA
  // The CMA has kicked off “phase one” of its probe, with Dec 22 deadline for interested parties to comment
  // The deal is not expected to encounter the same woes as the previous ill-fated Sainsbury’s-Asda dealAsda’s planned £6.8 billion takeover by the billionaire Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital is being investigated by the UK’s competi
  
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• Deliveroo teams up with Co-op and the Felix Project to deliver 20,000 meals to families in need

  08-12-2020 15:02 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Deliveroo has announced a new collaboration with the Felix Project to deliver surplus food including fresh food and vegetables to frontline charities and food banks.
  The food delivery company has enlisted Co-op and fresh fruit and veg suppliers Sheringhams to help feed families across the capital, in support of Marcus Rashford’s campaign to end child food poverty.
  The first deliveries with Co-op took place in October half-term from 11 stores in London and were delivered to the Felix Projec
  
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• Record month of grocery sales amid second lockdowns

  08-12-2020 13:27 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Grocery sales up 13.9% in November, making it the best ever month for UK supermarkets
  // Lockdowns, especially in England, prompted Brits to spend £10.9bn in store and online on their grocery shops
  // Kantar says December figures were on track to be a record best as wellThe UK grocery sector saw its best ever month of sales in November as second lockdowns forced the closure of pubs and restaurants, according to new figures.
  The latest data from Kantar showed Brits spent £10.9 bill
  
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• UK grocery sales reach record amid Covid lockdown

  08-12-2020 12:52
  
  Sales of turkey and alcohol were up by just over a third in November, says KantarNovember was the biggest month ever for UK grocery sales with shoppers spending almost £11bn as the return of lockdown in England drove supermarket purchases of food and alcohol.Sales of turkey and alcohol were up by just over a third and festive light sales soared 238% in November, according to analysts at Kantar, as shoppers brought forward preparations for Christmas and began treating themselves at home whi
  
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• Record UK grocery sales after Covid lockdowns fuel early festive revelry

  08-12-2020 12:52
  
  Sales of Christmas turkey and alcohol were up by just over a third in November, says KantarNovember was the biggest month ever for UK grocery sales with shoppers spending almost £11bn as the return of lockdown in England drove supermarket purchases of food and alcohol.Sales of turkey and alcohol were up by just over a third and festive light sales soared 238% in November, according to analysts at Kantar, as shoppers brought forward preparations for Christmas and began treating themselves a
  
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• M&S announces retail’s first data technician apprenticeship

  08-12-2020 10:59 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Marks & Spencer will this week launch a new Data Technician course, aiming to make data training more accessible to staff.
  Teaming up once again with data academy Decoded, the retailer will offer 70 colleagues the opportunity to enrol on the technician programme in the next 12 months of the programme.
  The 18-month-long scheme will be open to everyone across the business, with apprentices taught how manipulate and scrutinise data, and how to translate it into valuable insights that the busine
  
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• Puma’s private equity arm invests £3.5m in French menswear brand

  08-12-2020 10:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Puma Private Equity invests £3.5m in menswear retailer Ron Dorff
  // Ron Dorff is known for aligning Swedish functionality with French style
  // It sells to over 80 countries worldwidePuma’s private equity division Puma Private Equity has invested £3.5 million in menswear retailer Ron Dorff in an effort to support its growth strategy.
  Puma Private Equity provides growth capital to small and medium-sized businesses across all sectors and regions of the UK.
  Despite the impact of
  
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• Studio exploring sale options following profit increase

  08-12-2020 09:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Studio hires financial advisor to conduct a formal sale process
  // In the 26 weeks to September 25, adjusted profit before tax rose 52% to £17.7m
  // Revenues increased 17.2% to £268m during the periodStudio has unveiled plans to explore its sale options following an increase in profits and sales amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
  In the 26 weeks to September 25, the online value retailer saw adjusted profit before tax increase 52 per cent to £17.7 million as Brits shifted onli
  
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• Joules revenue slumps as closures and discounting affect trading

  08-12-2020 09:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Joules sales slow down due to enforced store closures and increased discounting
  // Store trading hours in the 26 weeks to November 29 were around 60% of normal opening times
  // Total retail revenue fell by 6% to £75.3m during the periodJoules sales have been affected by enforced store closures and increased discounting amid government restrictions, but is trading “ahead of expectations”.
  In the 26 weeks to November 29, group revenue at the British lifestyle retailer dropped
  
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• Arcadia suppliers left unsure on payments following administration

  08-12-2020 09:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Arcadia suppliers not informed whether they will be paid any money owed to them
  // Arcadia, which owns Topshop, Burton, and Dorothy Perkins, fell into administration
  // The collapse has affected over 13,000 jobsArcadia suppliers have reportedly been left in the dark on whether they will receive any money owed to them since the group collapsed into administration last week, affecting over 13,000 jobs.
  Deloitte joint administrators Daniel Butters and Gavin Maher were drafted in on November 30 t
  
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• November retail sales hindered by Covid restrictions

  08-12-2020 08:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Retail sales growth slowed in November due to government restrictions
  // Online sales increased as Brits shifted to digital platformsRetail sales growth has slowed down in November, as tighter government restrictions left consumers to shift online.
  Over the three months to November, in-store sales of non-food items declined 18.6 per cent on a total basis and 10.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis.
  For November, the like-for-like excluding temporarily closed stores remained in decline, accordi
  
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• Holiday shopping in a pandemic: Can stores save the season?

  08-12-2020 06:00
  From a virtual ‘Dial-a-Santa’ to outdoor markets and shops on wheels — the tactics high-end retailers are using to save the season
  
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• Holiday shopping in a pandemic

  08-12-2020 06:00
  From a virtual ‘Dial-a-Santa’ to outdoor markets and shops on wheels — the tactics high-end retailers are using to save the season
  
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• Covid didn’t kill Topshop: a lack of creativity did

  08-12-2020 06:00
  For three decades, much of retail has been led by numbers people who squashed creatives
  
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• Outlook for jobs in UK is weakest in Europe, says report

  08-12-2020 01:01
  
  More employers planning to shed jobs than hire in first quarter of 2021 as Covid continues to hit economy Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe threat of a new year surge in unemployment has been highlighted by a labour market report showing that the outlook for jobs in the UK is the weakest in Europe.After a toughening of Covid-19 restrictions in October and November, the regular ManpowerGroup employment outlook survey reported that the chances of finding a job i
  
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• England’s lockdown puts brakes on retail sales growth

  08-12-2020 01:01
  Consumer sector shows much more resilience than during the spring, BRC data shows
  
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• Vashi to open flagship London store

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Capital & Counties Properties has announced that bespoke fine jewellery brand Vashi is to open a new flagship store in London’s Covent Garden. Situated on the... View Article
  
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• Studio Retail posts strong first half sales

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Studio Retail increased its revenue by 17.2% to £268 million in the six months to 25 September after it benefited from more people shopping online and... View Article
  
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• Ron Dorff receives €4 million investment from Puma Private Equity

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Ron Dorff has received a €4 million investment from Puma Private Equity, the private equity division of Puma Investments. The funds will be used to expand... View Article
  
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• Research Infographic: State of UK Marketing Budgets 2020

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  RedEye spoke to 200 marketers in a range of B2C businesses both big and small about their budgeting processes, how they are managing budgets during Covid-19,... View Article
  
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• New report finds customer data analysis key to omnichannel marketing success

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  Companies which collate and analyze customer data, both online and offline, have grown 16% in the last year and are more than twice as likely to significantly... View Article
  
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• Liverpool ONE welcomes two new brands

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Liverpool ONE shopping destination has added two new fashion and accessory brands to its line-up. Vincentius has opened a flagship boutique at 20 Manesty’s Lane... View Article
  
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• Joules benefits from strong online trading

  08-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Joules has said the strong trading momentum it reported in early November has continued over the Black Friday period with sales exceeding initial expectations. The lifestyle... View Article
  
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