Retail news

• M&S advert ‘puts two fingers up to spirit of Christmas’, says headteacher

  03-11-2023 23:52
  
  Katharine Birbalsingh tells retailer its Christmas ad featuring celebrities’ seasonal peeves will stifle children’s happinessA prominent headteacher has said she feels “deep disappointment and outrage” over Marks & Spencer’s Christmas advert showing celebrities destroying their least favourite parts of the festive season.Katharine Birbalsingh, an education reform campaigner who has been labelled Britain’s strictest headteacher, called for the advert to be
  
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• Frasers’ SportScheck acquisition at risk as retailer borders on collapse

  03-11-2023 17:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Frasers Group’s acquisition of German sporting chain SportScheck has been placed in limbo as the retailer borders on the brink of collapse.
  Mike Ashley’s sprawling retail empire announced its acquisition of the 34-store chain last month to help fuel the group’s European growth.
  Shortly after the announcement, SportScheck owner Signa Holding revealed that it was in the midst of a funding crisis and filed for insolvency for its Signa Sports division.
  According to The Telegraph, i
  
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• Former Wilko staff urge MPs to question owners over collapse

  03-11-2023 15:15
  
  Wilkinson family reportedly took £77m in dividends in decade before retailer’s closure, including £9m since 2019Business live – latest updatesUK politics live – latest updatesFormer employees of Wilko have called on MPs to hold the Wilkinson family, which owned the company, to account over the collapse of the budget retailer this year.The GMB union, which represents thousands of former Wilko staff, has written to Liam Byrne MP, the newly elected Labour chair of parl
  
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• Wickes third quarter sales slip after IT glitch

  03-11-2023 14:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Wickes has reported a slight drop in its third quarter sales after experiencing software issues.
  The DIY retailer saw its Do It For Me (DIFM) like-for-like sales fall 4.4% in the three months to 30 September, which it attributed in part to “some delays” stemming from “the transition to a new software solution fulfilling customer orders”.
  Wickes said it had taken actions to resolve the software issues but warned, “there will be some impact on Q4 delivered sales which
  
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• No one wants to buy luxury goods online any more

  03-11-2023 13:40
  Pret-a-passé
  
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• In pictures: Selfridges unveils theatrical Christmas window display

  03-11-2023 13:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Selfridges has unveiled its Christmas window display for 2023 at its Oxford Street flagship, themed “Showtime!”.
  The theatrical extravaganza, which took over 100 hours to install, features festive characters including Santa Claus as a stage director, a Christmas tree diva and a stand-up comedy snowman.
  The luxury department store’s display was set up by a team of 50 people and uses 2,000 baubles, 500m of fabric and 150 fabric bows.
  The costumes for the installation were handmad
  
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• Watch: Morrisons shows support for festive hosts in Christmas ad

  03-11-2023 12:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Morrisons is supporting this year’s festive hosts with a joyful 80s-themed Christmas advert.
  Set to the tune of Starship’s 1987 hit ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’, the advert shows trusty oven gloves up and down the country coming alive to sing their support for hosts as they prepare their Christmas feasts.The 60 second feel-good clip, created with agency Leo Burnett, starts with a familiar scene: Dad, in his pyjamas and a Santa hat, making his way to the kitchen to
  
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• Wilko confirms locations and opening dates of first three new stores

  03-11-2023 09:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Wilko has revealed the opening dates and locations of the first three concept stores.
  New owner, The Range owner CDS Superstores, recently revealed it would open five concept stores ahead of Christmas before a wider rollout next year.
  The new stores will open in the Armada shopping centre in Plymouth and Guildhall shopping centre in Exeter on 1 December.
  Meanwhile, a further shop will debut in the Arndale Centre in Luton on 8 December.
  The final two locations will be unveiled soon.Subs
  
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• Currys to sell Greek and Cypriot business for £175m

  03-11-2023 09:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Currys is set to sell its Greek and Cypriot business for £175m as it looks to focus on its largest markets including the UK and Ireland.
  The disposal follows a strategic review of the business back in June and is designed to simplify the group.
  Alongside the UK & Ireland, the electricals retailer will also focus on its Nordic arm.
  The sale is expected to be made in the first quarter of 2024.Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
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• Roundtable: The ingredients for a successful food and beverage supply chain

  03-11-2023 08:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Retail Gazette highlights five key talking points from a breakfast event for supply chain, transformation, and tech leaders in the food and beverage sector.
  Ranging and supplier efficiency, sustainability, and the ways in which customers’ changing behaviour impacts the long tail supply chain were all hot topics at the Retail Gazette roundtable hosted with database management software and tech provider InterSystems.
  Representatives from retailers and brands including Coca Cola, Costa C
  
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• Majestic transforms entire delivery fleet to electric

  03-11-2023 07:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Majestic is accelerating plans to transform its entire fleet of delivery vans from diesel to fully electric vehicles.
  Majestic CEO John Colley said that as its fleet is among the “busiest in retail”, the wine retailer is “cutely conscious” of its carbon footprint and “the need to go greener.”
  “As a business, we are determined to grow in an environmentally responsible manner and the transformation of our fleet to fully electric vehicles will slash our car
  
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• Watch: Sainsbury’s unveils Christmas ad starring Rick Astley

  03-11-2023 01:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s has unveiled its Christmas advert for 2023 starring singer Rick Astley.
  The one-minute long ad is set inside one of its supermarkets, where a girl asks on the tannoy, “Hey Sainsbury’s, what does Santa eat for his Christmas dinner?”.
  Colleagues working in the store can be seen offering suggestions of festive dishes including several from its Taste the Difference Christmas range.
  The campaign, created by advertising agency New Commercial Arts, features a cameo f
  
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• Lidl beats Aldi as UK’s cheapest supermarket

  03-11-2023 01:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Lidl has overtaken Aldi as the UK’s cheapest supermarket, ending the discounter’s 16-month run.
  Consumer group Which? conducted its monthly cheapest supermarket price comparison, comparing the cost of a basket of groceries and household essentials.
  Its latest research shows that Lidl was 17p cheaper than its closest rival Aldi by just 17p, with an average basket costing £74.58.
  Waitrose held its position as the most expensive supermarket, with a basket of groceries totalli
  
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• Wickes reiterates full year profit guidance

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Wickes has reiterated its full year profit guidance despite a drop in sales in its third quarter. In the three months to 30 September, sales declined... View Article
  
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• Walgreens Boots Alliance appoints chief information officer

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Walgreens Boots Alliance has appointed Neal Sample as its new executive vice president and chief information officer. Reporting to WBA chief executive Tim Wentworth, he will... View Article
  
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• Sainsbury’s answers little girl’s big question about Santa… starring Rick Astley

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  .responsive-youtube {overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%; position:relative; height:0;}.responsive-youtube iframe{left:0; top:0; height:100%; width:100%; position:absolute;} Sainsbury’s has unwrapped its highly anticipated 2023 Christmas advert, and it features the renowned singer, Rick... View Article
  
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• Majestic accelerates roadmap to all-electric van fleet

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Majestic is accelerating plans to switch its entire fleet of delivery vans from diesel to fully electric. As part of its sustainability drive, the wine retailer... View Article
  
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• Lidl named cheapest supermarket by Which?

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Lidl has taken the title of cheapest supermarket after coming top in a basket comparison conducted by Which?. Analysis by the consumer organisation compared the average... View Article
  
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• John Lewis launches Black Friday deals earlier than ever as it introduces more payment options

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The John Lewis department store has launched its Black Friday deals earlier than ever as it introduces more payment options for customers. With research from its... View Article
  
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• Currys to sell Kotsovolos

  03-11-2023 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Currys is to sell its entire business in Greece and Cyprus to Public Power Corporation for £175 million. The move follows a strategic review of the... View Article
  
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