Retail news

• Lidl pay boost underlines UK wage growth pressures

  24-05-2023 19:08
  Rising salaries could prolong the country’s bout of high inflation, warn economists
  
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• Australia might not be in a recession but households are about to feel as though they are | Greg Jericho

  24-05-2023 17:00
  
  People are spending less money, which means trouble for the economy. But it hasn’t hurt big businessGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastIt is a good time to be a big grocery company, or a mining company, or a travel company, or a bank or … well, let’s be honest: as the Bureau of Statistics reported when inflation took off at the start of last year, “Australian businesses benefited from rising prices.”And they have continued to b
  
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• When it comes to fashion, M&S is on the right wavelength

  24-05-2023 16:11
  
  Reliable sizing, sweet-spot pricing and contemporary – but not faddish – styles are helping high street retailer stand outFashion matters at Marks & Spencer. Clothes are an emotional purchase, and when M&S is successfully delivering clothes that its customers desire, it’s a strong sign that the retailer is on the right wavelength. Food may be a much larger part of the business these days but fashion is the bellwether.The strong sales figures for the past year that M&
  
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• Marks & Spencer’s recovery finally looks like the real deal | Nils Pratley

  24-05-2023 15:40
  
  With annual performance above City forecasts, M&S is getting the basics right in a tough sectorFull story: Denim, dresses and cheaper food lift profits Marks & Spencer over the past 20 years has been a tale of false dawns for its shareholders. Every apparent advance has been followed by a declaration from the boardroom that even vaster sums must be spent on overhauling warehouses, improving stores, closing stores, investing in food logistics, revamping clothing, or something else. It is,
  
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• Card Factory rolls out Click and Collect service to all its stores

  24-05-2023 15:24 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Card Factory rolls out its Click and Collect service nationwide following a successful trial
  // Customers can collect their online orders at over 1,000 stores across the UKCard Factory has rolled out its Click and Collect service to all its stores following a successful trial.
  From today, shoppers can have their online orders delivered to one of the greetings card retailer’s 1,000 locations.
  Customers will have a ten-day window to collect their orders and is no processing free for
  
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• Denim, dresses and more affordable food help lift sales and profits at M&S

  24-05-2023 14:50
  
  Retailer to restart dividend payments but warns of challenging year ahead as costs continue to riseStrong sales of dresses, denim and office wear as well as more affordable food helped lift sales and profits at Marks & Spencer’s in the past year despite the effects of inflation on its business and customers.The retailer said it would restart dividend payments to shareholders after underlying pre-tax profits rose by 21.4% to £475.7m in the year to 1 April, with sales increasing 9.
  
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• Lidl takes aim at M&S following ‘Percy Pig’ ice cream saga

  24-05-2023 14:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Lidl pokes fun at M&S over the ‘Percy Pig’ ice cream saga
  // M&S wrote to a local ice cream parlour last week requesting it stop using the trademarked ‘Percy Pig’ nameLidl has poked fun at M&S by stepping into a dispute involving the name of flavours at a local ice cream parlour.
  Hitchin-based Fabio’s Gelato received a letter from M&S last week asking it to stop using the trademarked ‘Percy Pig’ name for one of its ice cream flavo
  
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• Currys Nordic subsidiaries probed by European watchdog

  24-05-2023 12:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Currys Nordic subsidiaries are being probed by European regulator over competition infringement concerns
  // The EFTA Surveillance Authority will look at whether the retailer had violated the rules while securing exclusive access to certain electric goodsCurrys Nordic subsidiaries are being investigated by the European Economic Area regulator over a possible violation of competition rules in Norway.
  The electricals retailer said on Wednesday it does not believe of any competition infringe
  
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• Currys Nordic business probed by European watchdog

  24-05-2023 12:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Currys Nordic subsidiaries are being probed by European regulator over competition infringement concerns
  // The EFTA Surveillance Authority will look at whether the retailer had violated the rules while securing exclusive access to certain electric goodsCurrys Nordic businesses are being investigated by the European Economic Area regulator over a possible violation of competition rules in Norway.
  The electricals retailer said on Wednesday it does not believe of any competition infringeme
  
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• M&S puts profit jump down to better clothing styles and more affordable food

  24-05-2023 11:05
  
  But retailer faces challenging year as it expects to spend £100m extra on staff wages and £50m on energyMarks & Spencer profits have increased by more than a fifth, beating City expectations, with the retailer crediting the rise to improvements to the style credentials of its clothing and more affordable food.However, the company warned that it faced a challenging year ahead as costs continued to increase. It expects to spend £100m more on staff wages and £50m on ener
  
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• CANTO – Unlock The Power Of Your Brand’s Digital Content: EBook

  24-05-2023 10:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  What can a digital asset management platform do for your brand?
  Thriving in retail means staying ahead of the curve. Brands like Amorepacific, Birkenstock, and Godiva Chocolatier look to digital asset management (DAM) platforms to help them go to market faster, build and protect their brand identity, and increase their content ROI.
  See how retailers worldwide are using digital asset management solutions like Canto — and how your organisation can leverage the benefits to:Go to market faster
  
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• V-Count – Increase Sales And Lower Costs In Just 60 Days And Maximize Your Retail Potential

  24-05-2023 10:28 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  In today’s competitive retail industry, we understand that every penny counts. That’s why we want to share our visitor analytics technology, which has 99.9% accuracy, with you. This technology can help optimize your operations, enhance your customers’ experience, and improve your brand’s performance by measuring foot traffic, identifying underperforming stores and staff, and monitoring conversion rates for informed decision-making.
  With People Counting 
  
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• Confirmed: K:LDN 2023 Registration Is Now Live

  24-05-2023 10:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Join us at the second annual K:LDN
  Last year at the first-ever K:LDN, one thing stood out: the incredible Klaviyo community. Over 100 marketers came together to learn and network, and we all left beaming—and newly decked out in personalised swag.
  This year’s event is shaping up to be bigger and better (in our only slightly biassed opinion). In just under two months, we’re uniting the Klaviyo community and ecommerce marketers as a whole to discuss big successes and big challenge
  
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• Is It Ever Too Early To Prepare For Peak? – EBook From PFS

  24-05-2023 09:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  A strategic approach to executing a successful peak season
  With 25+ years of experience as a leading eCommerce order fulfilment provider for the world’s leading brands, PFS knows a thing or two about supporting peak demand. Our latest eBook, ‘Is it Ever too Early to Prepare for Peak?’, offers a page out of the PFS Peak Playbook to equip you to succeed during your next demand spike.
  Gain the necessary tools to identify and implement continuous improvements throughout the year, s
  
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• Kingfisher blames bad weather for lower sales

  24-05-2023 09:27 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Kingfisher blames “unusually poor spring weather in the UK and France” for lower seasonal sales
  // First quarter sales dropped 3.3% on a like-for-like basis for the B&Q and Screwfix owner to £3.3bnKingfisher has posted a dip in first quarter sales, blaming poor weather conditions for the slowdown in demand for its seasonal categories.
  Like for like sales slipped 3.3% to £3.3bn in the three months to 30 April 2023, with UK and Ireland sales up 1.4% to £1.6bn.
  
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• M&S clothing and food sales jump as profits edge up

  24-05-2023 09:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // M&S clothing and home sales rose 11.5% and food sales jumped 8.7%
  // Profits were slightly down but rose when business rates relief were stripped out of last year’s figuresM&S notched up strong full-year sales growth in both clothing and food as profits beat expectations despite soaring inflation.
  The retailer also reported a “good start” to its new financial year with growing sales in both food and clothing and expects “modest growth” in revenue over the
  
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• Marks and Spencer lifts sales as turnround strategy bears fruit

  24-05-2023 08:44
  Food and clothing retailer plans to reintroduce dividend payments from November
  
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• Lidl boosts staff pay for third time in 12 months

  24-05-2023 08:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // Lidl is increasing staff pay for third time in 12 months, with store and warehouse earning up to £13.15 an hour
  // This brings the German grocer’s total investment into staff pay to over £60m in the past year aloneLidl will increase the pay rate of all UK store and warehouse staff for the third time in 12 months as it invests a further £8m into supporting employees with the cost-of-living crisis.
  From September, rates for those working outside the M25 will increas
  
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• An omnichannel analysis of 275 brands across 6 countries

  24-05-2023 08:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  No corner of the retail world was untouched by the challenges of recent years.
  But not all brands have felt the shocks equally! It all depends on their desire to change and where they are on their omnichannel transformation journey.
  That’s what we dig into in theglobal edition of the Omnichannel Leadership Report, with research on: Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK.
  What you’ll learn in the report:The current state of omnichannel in several leading retail geographi
  
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• Robots roll-out continues in Yorkshire for Co-op & Starship Technologies

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Robots are heading to Wakefield from today as a partnership between Starship Technologies, Co-op and Wakefield Council brings autonomous grocery deliveries to local residents. The service... View Article
  
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• Primark continues US expansion

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Discount fashion retailer Primark is to open three new US stores this summer as it continues to expand in the country. New shops in New York... View Article
  
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• Marks & Spencer boosted by momentum in growth strategy

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has posted an increase in full year sales as its strategy to “reshape M&S for growth” bears fruit. Sales in the 12 months... View Article
  
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• Lidl raises pay for third time in 12 months

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Lidl GB is to increase pay for the third time in 12 months for all of its 24,500 hourly-paid staff members. Store and warehouse staff working... View Article
  
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• Kngfisher sales impacted by poor spring weather

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Kingfisher has seen its total sales edge up 0.8% to £3.271 billion in its first quarter after the group put in a “resilient” performance in big-ticket... View Article
  
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• Kingfisher sales impacted by poor spring weather

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Kingfisher has seen its total sales edge up 0.8% to £3.271 billion in its first quarter after the group put in a “resilient” performance in big-ticket... View Article
  
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• Fitflop announces distribution partners to support global expansion plans

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  FitFlop today announced its partnership with multiple new global distributors in a bid to boost its global growth. These strategic partnerships will enable FitFlop to enter... View Article
  
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• Asda extends £1 kids café meal throughout half-term

  24-05-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Asda has announced that its ‘Kids Eat for £1’ café meal deals will continue throughout the May half term holidays. The deal enables children under the... View Article
  
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