Retail news

• Ports gridlocked and retailers struggling as Brexit deadline looms

  10-12-2020 21:09
  
  Government urged to act as retailers face delays, shortages and extra shipping chargesThe government is facing growing pressure to take action at the UK’s gridlocked container ports, as the looming Brexit deadline is also resulting in thousands of extra truckloads of goods heading to the Channel ports in France, causing delays and traffic queues.The delays radiating out from major container ports such as Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway are now being felt acutely in a number of i
  
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• Topshop administrators seek bids of up to £200m for fashion chain

  10-12-2020 20:55
  
  Initial offers expected by end of next week in attempt to seal a deal before ChristmasTopshop’s administrators are seeking bids of up to £200m for Sir Philip Green’s fashion chain as they try to seal a deal before Christmas.Initial bids are expected to be filed by the end of next week as part of a flurry of retail rescue attempts that could kick off with Debenhams on Friday . Continue reading...
  
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• 5 minutes with Marco D’Avanzo, Vice President – Global Sales, Moose Knuckles

  10-12-2020 16:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Tell me a bit about the Moose Knuckles story.
  Moose Knuckles was founded in 2009 in Montreal, Canada. In 1921, our family of old-world outdoorsmen ventured above and beyond into northern lands, where they were inspired by the moose’s incredible ability to stay warm in the coldest place on earth. And so began our coat-making journey of crafting resilient garment that would endure the most unforgiving conditions.
  Today, the spirit of the moose lives on in our brand born from the tundra, mad
  
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• Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group confirms interest in Arcadia brands

  10-12-2020 15:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Frasers Group confirms it is eyeing Arcadia brands
  // Frasers’ CFO Chris Wootton said the group tends to “look at almost everything on the high street”
  // He said Frasers Group was still in discussions around potentially purchasing DebenhamsFrasers Group has reportedly confirmed it is considering purchasing Arcadia’s brands which include Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, and Burton among others.
  Frasers’ chief financial officer Chris Wootton said the group tends to &ldqu
  
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• Tesco and Morrisons ignore calls to shut stores on Boxing Day

  10-12-2020 15:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco and Morrisons to remain open on Boxing Day despite criticisms
  // Unions have said supermarket staff should not have to go in on December 26
  // Tesco and Morrisons joined Sainsbury’s in saying they would open on Boxing Day for a limited number of hoursTesco and Morrisons have said they will keep their shops open on Boxing Day despite calls to give staff the day off.
  Unions have criticised the grocers and said supermarket staff should not have to go in on December 26 so they can spe
  
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• Sainsbury’s staff told to take annual leave on Christmas Day despite store closures

  10-12-2020 14:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Sainsbury’s told employees to use their annual leave on Christmas Day
  // Stores remain closed on December 25
  // Staff have been told they will be given unpaid leave if they don’t use their holiday allowance on Christmas DaySainsbury’s has reportedly told employees to use their annual leave on Christmas Day despite all stores being closed.
  The Big 4 grocer said employees who don’t use their holiday allowance on December 25 will be given unpaid leave, The Mirror reported
  
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• Ocado stockpiles long-life products in case of no-deal Brexit

  10-12-2020 13:13
  
  Online grocer says limited warehouse space is limiting reserves and there is little it can do to mitigate feared fresh food import disruption Ocado is stockpiling long-life products such as Italian beer in readiness for a no-deal Brexit but said it did not have enough warehouse space to build big reserves and could do little to mitigate the feared disruption to fresh food imports.The online grocer was as ready as it could be, said the chief executive, Tim Steiner, with the obvious problem being
  
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• Primarks CEO says those who think online shopping shift is permanent are “wrong” and “naive”

  10-12-2020 12:18 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Primark’s chief executive Paul Marchant has slammed claims that COVID-19 has brought about a permanent shift to online shopping.
  In an article published in The Times, Marchant took aim at pundits who claim “COVID-19 has merely speeded up an inevitable and permanent shift from in-store to online shopping”, calling them “wrong” and “naïve”.
  Marchant cites research conducted by his wildly popular fast fashion brand Primark, which reportedly sugges
  
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• McColl’s revenue reaches £1.25bn thanks to “strong demand”

  10-12-2020 12:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // McColl’s like-for-like sales rises 12% in the year November 29
  // Revenue rises by 2.3% to £1.25 billion
  // Growth was offset by 179 shop closures as it accelerated its store optimisation programmeMcColl’s revenue has risen by 2.3 per cent to £1.25 billion thanks to strong demand throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
  In the year November 29, like-for-like sales at the convenience retailer climbed by 12 per cent.
  However, growth was offset by 179 shop closures as the retail
  
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• Sainsbury’s is hiring 12,000 seasonal workers to fulfil online orders this Christmas

  10-12-2020 11:14 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s is hiring 12,000 seasonal workers to help “fulfil online grocery orders” as the grocer prepares for a huge spike in demand for its digital services.
  The UK’s second largest supermarket is doubling the number of seasonal hires this year to help it support the rapid growth of its online delivery operation, which has more than doubled since March.
  These 12,000 workers will be spread across roles from picking and packing to driving delivery vans, aiming to help Sa
  
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• Mike Ashley's Frasers Group reports rise in first-half profits

  10-12-2020 11:08
  
  Pre-tax profits up 18% as Debenhams acquisition talks continueCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reported an 18% rise in pre-tax profits as it continues talks about the potential acquisition of Debenhams.Frasers, which owns Sports Direct, the designer fashion chain Flannels and House of Fraser department stores, made no comment on the progress of discussions with Debenhams’ owners. However a decision on a deal, which coul
  
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• Frasers Group reports rise in profits as it mulls Debenhams deal

  10-12-2020 11:08
  
  Pre-tax profits up 18% at Mike Ashley’s retail group as acquisition talks continueCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reported an 18% rise in pre-tax profits as it continues talks about the potential acquisition of Debenhams.Frasers, which owns Sports Direct, the designer fashion chain Flannels and House of Fraser department stores, made no comment on the progress of discussions with Debenhams’ owners. However a deci
  
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• Asda to close all Boxing Day stores with paid day off for colleagues

  10-12-2020 10:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // All Asda stores will close for Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year
  // Hourly-paid staff to receive 100% of their bonusAsda has announced it will not open its stores on Boxing Day this year, instead giving thousands of staff a chance to stay home, in recognition of their work during the coronavirus pandemic.
  Chief executive Roger Burnley confirmed via email that all of Asda’s 631 stores would close for two days over the Christmas break.
  “This has been a challenging year and
  
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• Tesco stockpiles long-life goods in case of no-deal Brexit

  10-12-2020 10:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco boss John Allan warned that tariffs on some food products are “quite substantial”
  // Tesco is stockpiling long-life goods in preparation for possible supply disruption at the end of the Brexit transition period
  // Allan said if the UK and EU fail to agree on Brexit deal factors, tariffs are “almost inevitably are going to lead to higher prices”Tesco chairman John Allan has reportedly said that the grocer is stockpiling long-life goods in preparation for poss
  
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• Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group reports 30% surge in half-year profits

  10-12-2020 09:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Frasers Group hit by lockdown closures with decline in revenue across majority of segments
  // Premium lifestyle business was only section to improve
  // Non-exec chairman David Daly says lockdown restrictions are “materially impacting the business”Frasers Group on Thursday reported a 29.1 per cent rise in profit after tax to £84.4 million in the 26 weeks to October 25.
  The FTSE 250 retail group formerly known as Sports Direct said lockdown closures across its non-essential st
  
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• Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group posts 30% surge in half-year profits

  10-12-2020 09:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Frasers Group hit by lockdown closures with decline in revenue across majority of segments
  // Premium lifestyle business was only section to improve
  // Non-exec chairman David Daly says lockdown restrictions are “materially impacting the business”Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reported a 29.1 per cent rise in profit after tax to £84.4 million in the 26 weeks to October 25.
  The FTSE 250 retail group formerly known as Sports Direct said lockdown closures across its non-
  
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• Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group posts rise in first-half profits

  10-12-2020 09:13 via ft.com
  Retailer warns that second wave of Covid-19 poses threat to performance
  
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• Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group delivers rise in first-half profits

  10-12-2020 09:13 via ft.com
  But retail group warns that second wave of Covid-19 poses threat to performance
  
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• Ocado Retail profits to double as shoppers stay at home

  10-12-2020 08:55 via ft.com
  Online supermarket’s sales rise as customers stock up ahead of the festive season
  
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• Ocado raises profit guidance for third time this year

  10-12-2020 08:55 via ft.com
  Online supermarket’s sales rise as customers stock up ahead of the festive season
  
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• Shoppers spend record-breaking £10.9bn in supermarkets during November

  10-12-2020 08:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Kantar finds November is biggest month ever for grocers
  // December likely to surpass those figures, as shoppers begin festivities early
  // Alcohol spending in supermarkets up 33% in November due to national lockdownsShoppers spent £10.9 billion in supermarkets during November, making it the single largest month ever for grocers, according to the latest figures from Kantar.
  November as a whole saw shopper frequency hit the highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic, although Dec
  
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• Supermarkets granted three month grace period from Brexit checks

  10-12-2020 08:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Government announces three month timeline for supermarkets before Brexit checks are introduced
  // “British sausages will continue to make their way to Belfast and Ballymena in the new year,” Gove tells House of Commons
  // Chilled meat products travelling between Britain and Northern Ireland will have a six month extensionSupermarkets in Britain will be given extra time to bring in new checks after the Brexit deadline, in an attempt to avoid disruption to the food supply chain in t
  
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• The end of dairy’s ‘dirty secret’? Farms have a year to stop killing male calves

  10-12-2020 07:15
  
  Supermarket support and rising use of sexed semen expected to help UK farmers meet new welfare rules by the end of 2021Dairy farmers have until the end of next year to prove they are no longer killing male calves on-farm under new rules which will apply to nearly all UK farms from January, the Guardian has learned.The number of male calves being killed straight after birth, known as the “dirty secret” among farmers, has prompted outrage from animal welfare groups and many within the
  
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• EU to tell Big Tech to police internet or face large fines

  10-12-2020 03:03 via ft.com
  Confidential draft regulation sets penalties of up to 6% of annual turnover
  
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• Very expands beauty offering

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Very has expanded its beauty offering by adding 20 new brands to its range. The new additions include 800 new product lines from the likes of... View Article
  
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• Tesco appoints Karen Whitworth as non-executive director

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tesco has hired Karen Whitworth as a non-executive director. Due to take up her role in June 2021, she will also be appointed as a member... View Article
  
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• Tapestry appoints new board members

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tapestry, the owner of Kate Spade, Coach and Stuart Weitzman, has appointed Pam Lifford and Tom Greco to its board of directors. Lifford currently works as... View Article
  
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• Q&A: Matthew Whiteway, Chief Commercial Officer, Infinity UK

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Matthew Whiteway is the CCO at Infinity and has been in digital marketing for 20 years, including working as a digital agency director for 12 of... View Article
  
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• Optimise Costs and Productivity in the New Future of Work – eBook

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Meeting the challenges of 2020 has left organisations embracing new ways of working. Cost control, productivity and resilience are now top of mind for every business... View Article
  
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• Ocado posts strong fourth quarter sales growth

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Ocado increased its retail revenue by 34.9% to £579.6 million in its fourth quarter after it benefited from strong demand for online grocery deliveries due to... View Article
  
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• McColl’s benefits from strong demand during Covid-19 pandemic

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Convenience retailer McColl’s saw its revenue climb by 2.3% to £1.25 billion in the year 29 November after like-for-like sales climbed by 12%. In a statement,... View Article
  
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• M&S launches data technician apprenticeship

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  M&S has launched a new level three data apprenticeship programme as it continues to invest in building its digital and data capabilities to accelerate online growth.... View Article
  
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• London Designer Outlet reports strong post-lockdown sales

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  London Designer Outlet has increased its total sales by 22% post-lockdown compared to October. The fashion and lifestyle outlet centre saw average spend across its accessories... View Article
  
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• Homebase teams up with Country Living and House Beautiful on kitchen ranges

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Home improvement retailer Homebase has teamed up with Country Living and House Beautiful magazines to launch an exclusive range of kitchens. The range consists of two... View Article
  
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• Bensons for Beds trials electric delivery vans

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Bensons for Beds is to start making deliveries with all-electric vehicles as it works towards becoming a net zero emissions retailer by 2040. From 10 December,... View Article
  
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• Aldi trials plastic-free multipacks on baked beans

  10-12-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi is to trial the removal of plastic-shrink wrap from multipacks of baked beans as it looks to help shoppers reduce plastic waste. The supermarket will... View Article
  
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