Retail news

• The Guardian view on economics in the media: poorly communicated, poorly understood | Editorial

  01-02-2023 19:43
  
  Economics affects us all, yet is too often treated as an abstract field fenced in by impenetrable rulesThe statistical football of this week was lobbed all the way from Washington. From its US headquarters, the International Monetary Fund predicted the UK would be the worst-performing major economy of the year, and the only one to plunge into recession. The news dominated BBC coverage and Westminster debate for the morning, a useful stick both to poke the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, and to gauge th
  
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• Price hikes: Where will they increase the most in 2023?

  01-02-2023 18:20 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sky-high inflation and soaring supply chain costs forced many retailers to raise prices last year and this looks set to continue into 2023 with record price rises recorded in January.
  The BRC today reported that prices were up 8% year on year in January, accelerating from the 7.3% rise in December.
  Experts believe this trend will prolong through the first half of 2023 – but which sectors will be the worst hit?
  Food prices continue to soar
  BRC economist Harvir Dhillon says that food prices
  
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• Costcutter owner Bestway ups stake in Sainsbury’s

  01-02-2023 16:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Bestway Group increases its stake in Sainsbury’s to 4.47%
  // The wholesale group is now the fifth largest shareholder in the big four grocerCostcutter owner Bestway Group has upped its stake in Sainsbury’s to 4.47% just less than a week after it first acquired shares.
  The move will see the wholesale giant become the fifth largest shareholder in the Big Four grocer.
  On Friday, Bestway snapped up a 3.45% stake in Sainsbury’s in a deal worth around £193m.Subscribe to
  
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• John Lewis customer director exits as it invests in brands and tech

  01-02-2023 14:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // John Lewis customer director Claire Pointon steps down after three years
  // Pan-Partnership customer director Charlotte Lock will take on a newly-created role combining brand, strategy, transformation and campaignsJohn Lewis customer director Claire Pointon has stepped down after three years as the Partnership combines the John Lewis leadership and pan-Partnership customer teams and capabilities into a single role.
  Pan-Partnership customer director Charlotte Lock, who joined at the start of l
  
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• 2023: The Breakthrough of the Frontline Employee Experience – Are you ready?

  01-02-2023 13:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The Complete Guide to Frontline Employee Experience PlatformsWith a possible recession looming and likely to bring cost-cutting mandates, retailers are constantly under pressure to be more agile, resilient, and operationally efficient.
  Retailers’ frontline teams are the only resources that can be leveraged to drive efficiency and achieve those goals.
  Top retailers including Boots, Lidl, Van’s, and Lacoste are already planning for the future by transforming their operat
  
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• The Range starts work on UK’s largest warehouse to fuel aggressive growth

  01-02-2023 12:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // The Range has started work on its new 1.2m sq ft distribution centre in Suffolk
  // The mega shed will be the largest warehouse to be built in the UK for five yearsThe Range has started work on its new 1.2m sq ft distribution centre, making it the largest to be built in the UK for five years.
  The state-of-the-art mega shed, located in Suffolk’s Gateway 14 park, is part of the retailer’s aggressive growth strategy which will see it increase its product offer and store portfolio
  
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• John Lewis sales of adult Lego rise 33% as it emerges as Valentine’s Day gift

  01-02-2023 12:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis sales of adult Lego toys rise 33% ahead of Valentine’s Day
  // Searches for highly complex Lego sets aimed at those aged 18 and over, are up 51% on last yearJohn Lewis has reported that sales of Lego aimed at adults have risen by 33% ahead of Valentine’s Day.
  Searches for highly complex Lego sets aimed at those aged 18 and over, are up 51% on last year.
  Sets with a floral or plant constructions are proving particularly popular ahead of Valentine’s Day, wh
  
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• Aldi rolls out Too Good To Go partnership across all 990 UK stores

  01-02-2023 12:04 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Aldi rolls out partnership with Too Good To Go in all of its UK stores
  // The ‘Magic Bags’ from the partnership contain a range of products that are close to their sell-by or use-by dates and are sold for a lower priceAldi has rolled out its partnership with food saving platform Too Good To Go in all of its 990 UK stores.
  Following a successful trial last year, the supermarket is now offering surplus ‘Magic Bags’ to tackle food waste while offering lower pric
  
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• ChatGPT: How an AI chatbot could change the face of online retail

  01-02-2023 10:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Concerns are rapidly growing over the capabilities of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, which can answer questions in an alarmingly quick fashion with a very respectable degree of accuracy.
  The chatbot marks probably the biggest breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI) with regards to everyday applications, and in doing so, poses the largest threat to the job market so far.READ THE FULL STORY
  Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
  
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• Shop prices haven’t hit their peak yet, despite record highs in January

  01-02-2023 09:43 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // UK retailers have said shop price inflation has yet to peak this year, with the cost of basic essentials expected to remain high
  // The BRC flagged big rises in sugar and alcohol in the past month, as well as fruit and vegetablesShop prices have yet to reach their peak – despite reaching record highs last month, The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned.
  Prices are now 8% higher than they were last January, up from 7.3% in December and above the three-month average of 7.5%, ac
  
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• Shop prices haven’t hit peak despite record highs in January

  01-02-2023 09:43 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // UK retailers have said shop price inflation has yet to peak this year, with the cost of basic essentials expected to remain high
  // The BRC flagged big rises in sugar and alcohol in the past month, as well as fruit and vegetablesShop prices have yet to reach their peak – despite reaching record highs last month, The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned.
  Prices are now 8% higher than they were last January, up from 7.3% in December and above the three-month average of 7.5%, ac
  
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• Morrisons falls further behind grocery rivals

  01-02-2023 09:20 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Morrisons was the only major player except Waitrose to see sales drop in the last three months
  // Morrisons’ current share of the grocery market is 9.1%, behind Aldi on 9.2% and now it faces the prospect of being overtaken by LidlMorrisons has continued to lose ground against rival grocers as its woes under private equity ownership continue.
  The Bradford-based supermarket, which was once the UK’s fourth biggest, was the only major player except Waitrose to see sales drop in the la
  
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• Nike sues Lululemon over alleged patent infringements on shoe designs

  01-02-2023 09:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Nike is suing Lululemon for patent infringement related to at least four of the fitness retailer’s shoes
  // Nike said it has suffered economic harm and irreparable injury as a result of Lululemon’s sale of the Chargefeel Mid, Chargefeel Low, Blissfeel & Strongfeel sneakersNike has filed a lawsuit against Lululemon, alleging that the athleisure retailer has infringed on its patented footwear designs.
  In the complaint, the sportswear giant claims it has suffered economic harm an
  
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• Farfetch faces UK watchdog probe over deal for Net-a-Porter stake

  01-02-2023 08:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // The CMA is looking at whether Richemont’s deal to offload most of YOOX Net-A-Porter to rival Farfetchcould harm competition in the UK
  // Richemont has been pushing since 2015 for a ‘neutral’ online marketplace for luxury brandsThe UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Farfetch’s plan to buy a stake in Yoox Net-A-Porter, owned by Swiss luxury group Richemont, which might reduce competition in this market.
  Richemont, whose brands include Car
  
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• Kingfisher chief customer and digital officer JJ Van Oosten exits

  01-02-2023 08:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Kingfisher chief customer and digital officer JJ Van Oosten has left the retailer
  // Oosten was instrumental in transforming the retailer’s digital strategyKingfisher chief customer and digital officer JJ Van Oosten has left the business, the DIY giant has confirmed.
  Oosten joined the retailer before the Covid-19 pandemic affected all of its fascias, including B&Q and Screwfix in the UK and was at the helm of its digital strategy transformation.
  Oosten said on Linkedin: “
  
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• Costa cappuccinos deliver nearly five times as much caffeine as Starbucks ones

  01-02-2023 08:00
  
  Which? study reveals huge disparity in the amount of caffeine delivered by high street coffee chainsCoffee lovers looking for a strong pick-me-up should avoid Starbucks and head to Costa, after it emerged its cappuccinos deliver almost five times as much caffeine – the same as four cans of Red Bull.Buyers of a Costa medium cappuccino get three shots of espresso and a table-topping 325mg of caffeine, which is around the same as four cups of tea, and way above the Starbucks equivalent contai
  
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• Under Armour hires two new board members

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Sportswear brand Under Armour has appointed Carolyn Everson and Patrick Whitesell to its board of directors. Since January 2023, Everson has been a senior advisor at the Permira... View Article
  
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• [UKG Webinar] Why should employee experience remain at the top of your HR agenda in 2023?

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Join UKG at their latest webinar, in partnership with Fosway, Europe’s #1 HR industry analyst, on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00 GMT where they will discuss why investing... View Article
  
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• The Range to build UK’s largest warehouse as part of growth plans

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Discount retailer The Range, is building a state-of-the-art 1.2million square feet distribution unit at Gateway 14, a new logistics park in Suffolk. The warehouse development is... View Article
  
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• Tesco acquires Paperchase brand and IP

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tesco has acquired Paperchase’s brand and intellectual property as part of a pre-pack administration deal. The move follows news this week that the greeting card and... View Article
  
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• Sleep.8 continues expansion with Lakeside Retail Park opening

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Sleep.8 is continuing to expand with the opening of a new store at Lakeside Retail Park in West Thurrock. The shop is the retailer’s biggest to... View Article
  
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• Shein appoints chairman for Latin America

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Shein has appointed former SoftBank Group executive Marcelo Claure as chairman of its Latin America region. In his new position, he will oversee the global online fashion... View Article
  
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• Omnichannel specialist OneStock pushes the boundaries of OMS with the launch of its BI Suite

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  OMS shifts paradigm from static to dynamic. OneStock, the order management specialist, is launching its Business Intelligence (BI) Suite. With this solution, OneStock provides retailers and... View Article
  
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• More than 200 jobs under threat at Iceland distribution centre

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  More than 200 jobs at a warehouse distribution centre for supermarket chain Iceland in North Wales are under threat. The hub, located in Deeside and close... View Article
  
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• Mattress Online partner with The Sleep Charity

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Online Retailer partners with award-winning charity as the two work together to empower the nation to sleep better. At the heart of the community, Mattress Online... View Article
  
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• John Lewis consolidates customer directors as Claire Pointon steps down

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The John Lewis Partnership is reducing the number of customer directors in its business from three to two, as Claire Pointon steps down after three years... View Article
  
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• Festival Place becomes dog-friendly destination

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Festival Place in Basingstoke has introduced a dog-friendly policy in response to increased demand from retailers and shoppers. The move follows a successful trial over the... View Article
  
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• CMA launches grocery unit pricing review

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a review of unit pricing practices online and in-store in the groceries sector. In a statement, the CMA... View Article
  
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• Award nominations open as retailers share their reward strategies

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  To coincide with the opening of the People in Retail Awards, we asked the retail community how they reward and recognise their talent. As the competition... View Article
  
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• Aldi rolls out Too Good To Go partnership across all UK stores

  01-02-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi is rolling out a partnership with surplus food platform Too Good To Go following a successful trial. The supermarket is now offering surplus food bags... View Article
  
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