Retail news

• UK retail sector may be in recession before key Christmas sales season

  20-10-2023 15:43 via theguardian.com
  
  Mild weather in September and cost of living crisis lead to reduction in spendingBusiness live – latest updatesBritish consumers cut back on spending last month, according to official figures, amid growing fears the retail industry has plunged into a recession before the key festive shopping season.Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed retail sales volumes in Great Britain fell by 0.9% in September compared with a month earlier, as mild weather limited sales of colder weat
  
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• Anya Hindmarch takes back control of luxury brand as turnaround picks up pace

  20-10-2023 14:47
  Handbag maker remains lossmaking but sales have risen
  
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• Watch: Dreams unveils £4m brand campaign starring Gillian Anderson

  20-10-2023 12:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Dreams has unveiled a new £4m multichannel brand campaign starring actress Gillian Anderson, entitled “Think what a Dreams bed could do for you”.
  The campaign comes under the bed retailer’s longer term strategy to reinforce its position as a market leader, according to Dreams.
  The business developed the campaign alongside M&C Saatchi London, after appointing the company as lead creative agency in July.
  According to Dreams, the campaign is inspired by the fact that we
  
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• UK consumer confidence plummets in October as cost-of-living bites

  20-10-2023 11:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  UK consumer confidence slipped by nine points in October, making it the largest month-on-month drop in over three years.
  Market research company GfK’s Consumer Confidence Index plummeted from -21 in September to -30 for this month, the group revealed today.
  The index measuring personal finance changes in the past year dropped by six points, making it an improvement from October last year.
  Meanwhile, the forecast for personal finances over the next year was also better than last year, down
  
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• eBay unveils Circular Change Council to combat furniture waste

  20-10-2023 11:14 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  eBay has unveiled a new Circular Change Council with other major retailers that aims to combat furniture waste and encourage circularity, Retail Week reports.
  Working alongside the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) the ecommerce giant’s council aims to tackle the 22m furniture items chucked away per year in the UK.
  Retailers including Ikea, Sainsbury’s and Dunelm, as well as the BRC and British Heart Foundation will work on the initiative.
  eBay said a fully circular industr
  
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• Matalan revenue and profits rise

  20-10-2023 09:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Matalan has seen its revenue rise 0.8% to £288.6m in its second quarter despite the ongoing cost of living crisis dampening consumer spending habits.
  EBITDA came in at £47.9m, compared to £36.7m a year earlier as the retailer attributed the improved profitability to its sales performance, tight control of markdown, effective cost management, and positive movements in input prices.
  While sales in UK stores increased by 8%, its online channel is being “actively targete
  
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• UK government borrowing was lower than forecast in September

  20-10-2023 09:40
  Better than expected data on budget deficit raises pressure on chancellor Jeremy Hunt to outline tax cuts
  
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• Revealed: Dunelm and FatFace are big winners at Retail Gazette Awards

  20-10-2023 09:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Dunelm and FatFace took home the big prizes at the Retail Gazette Awards: The Game Changers, in partnership with Yext.
  Homewares giant Dunelm won the Best Retailer over £500m, edging out some of the most successful retailers right now, including Aldi, Frasers Group, Pets at Home, and Superdrug.
  The judging panel highlighted how Dunelm, which unveiled a 9% sales jump in its first quarter this week, was thriving despite the homewares market remaining depressed amid the cost-of-living crisis.
  
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• Retail industry gets on top of costs, but falling demand could take the shine off the golden quarter

  20-10-2023 09:33
  19th October 2023
  Food and drink demand could save Christmas, but non-food sales will remain challengingCost environment remains stable as retailers work hard on efficiency programmesExcess stock due to unseasonal weather could prompt further discounting and erode margins for the non-food sector
  The health of the retail sector is expected to continue its slow decline over the golden quarter, driven by consumer demand falling away, according to the latest assessment by KPMG/RetailNext Retail Thin
  
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• Lush returns to Covent Garden with new store housing festive pop-up

  20-10-2023 09:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Lush is set to return to Covent Garden after a decade with a new store, set to open November 3.
  Initially, the ethical cosmetics retailer’s store will serve as an exclusive festive pop-up, with a space of 255 sqm, but by Spring 2024, the store plans to expand by an additional 176 sqm to incorporate the brand’s Lush Spa.
  The timing of the new store coincides with the Christmas shopping season, enabling shoppers to grab their favourite festive items, including the best-selling Snow Fai
  
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• John Lewis hires ex-Tesco exec to head up brand and store experience

  20-10-2023 09:24 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  John Lewis has appointed Paul Jones as its new head of brand and store experience, who has be charged with developing “the next evolution of John Lewis department stores”.
  His role is described as “integral” to developing the customer strategy of both the John Lewis and John Lewis Partnership brands by setting the strategic direction for future brand propositions, innovation and layouts across the retail stalwart’s 34 store estate.
  Jones, who will report into to pan
  
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• Cost of living: Iceland to give shoppers free food over half term

  20-10-2023 09:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Iceland has said it will be offering customers free food this half term as over half of parents say they are already feeling the pressure of festive expenses.
  Thanks to the frozen food specialist’s Famous Holiday Freebie offer, from the 20th October shoppers who spend over £20 in-store and swipe their Bonus Card can choose a free item from Iceland’s easy tea products – including big brand names from Birds Eye to McCain.
  Sales data from the retailer shows that customer dem
  
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• UK may be in retail recession as September sales fall steeply

  20-10-2023 09:09 via theguardian.com
  
  Unseasonably warm weather and cost of living crisis hit consumer spending in Great BritainThe UK may already be in a retail recession after sales suffered a much steeper than expected fall in September.Unseasonably warm weather kept shoppers out of stores, and consumers cut back on non-essential spending amid the cost of living crisis, official data shows. Continue reading...
  
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• Retail sales slip as warm September hits autumn clothing demand

  20-10-2023 09:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  British retail sales fell more than expected in September as shoppers delayed buying autumn clothing due to unseasonably warm weather, the latest figures from the ONS show.
  Sales volumes fell by 0.9% on the month after a 0.4% rise in August, a bigger decline than the 0.2% fall economists had forecast in a Reuters poll.
  Clothing sales volumes slipped 1.6%, and household goods stores saw a 2.3% drop in sales, which the ONS attributed to ongoing cost of living pressures.Subscribe to Retail Gazette
  
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• Does fashion retail have a sustainable future?

  20-10-2023 08:18 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Fashion will forever be a key topic in sustainability debates. We’ve all seen photos of enormous piles of clothing in landfills, are aware of human rights issues in supply chains and – quite possibly – disposed a piece of clothing after just wearing it once.
  While fashion retailers are implementing changes in store and online, such as selling pre-loved clothes and setting up repair shops, there is still much work to be done.
  Asos head of sustainability Catarina Midby, Pangaia c
  
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• ProCook posts 1.8% drop in revenue

  20-10-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Kitchenware retailer ProCook has posted a 1.8% decline in second-quarter revenue to £15.7 million following a “challenging” trading period. This included a 17% fall in ecommerce... View Article
  
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• Matalan reports improved sales and profitability

  20-10-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Matalan grew its revenue by 0.8% to £288.6 million in its second quarter despite the impact of the cost of living crisis on customers’ spending. After... View Article
  
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• M&S resets early careers programmes as it looks for next generation of retail leaders

  20-10-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  M&S has relaunched its early careers programmes and opened applications for its 2024 intake. The retailer is looking to attract 114 people to its Retail Leaders... View Article
  
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• M&S Food launches 100% paper, plastic-free and easily recyclable takeaway coffee cup

  20-10-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  M&S Food has become the first major high street coffee retailer to offer its takeaway coffee and hot drinks in 100% paper, plastic-free, and easily recyclable... View Article
  
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• Consumer confidence tumbles in run-up to festive season

  20-10-2023 02:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  UK consumer confidence has fallen sharply in October as the cost-of-living crisis continues to have an impact on people’s spending power. GfK’s Consumer Confidence Index has... View Article
  
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