Retail news

• US stocks rally as strong retail sales raise hopes of ‘soft landing’

  15-08-2024 22:26
  Investors have worried that lacklustre consumer results and a weakening labour market signalled a slowdown
  
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• Victorian Plumbing pulls plug on rival firm three months after acquisition

  15-08-2024 17:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Victorian Plumbing is shutting down the rival retailer it bought three months ago, putting hundreds of jobs at risk.
  The bathroom specialist acquired competitor Victoria Plum in May for £22.5m and called it an “exciting strategic milestone” for the business.
  Victorian Plumbing said it would continue the ongoing cost-cutting programme that was in place following its rival’s collapse into administration last September, with the intention of keeping both companies trading se
  
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• Strong US retail sales raise hopes of ‘soft landing’

  15-08-2024 16:49
  Investors have worried that lacklustre consumer results and a weakening labour market signalled a slowdown ahead
  
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• Strong US consumer spending powers stocks and Walmart profits

  15-08-2024 15:34
  Retailer says shoppers attracted by lower prices as quarterly sales beat expectations
  
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• WHSmith opens first own-brand café in food-to-go push

  15-08-2024 14:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  WHSmith has launched a new store format under its Smith’s Kitchen brand as it looks to expand its UK travel business.
  The retailer opened its first own-brand café in Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, today (15 August) just three months after it launched its first food-to-go range.
  The 26 seat 495 sq ft café sells coffee, tea, iced drinks as well as hot breakfast choices, fresh pastries and cakes. Related StoryWHSmith rolls out Toys R Us concessions to more stores25/04/2024
  
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• Hamleys opens children’s dress up boutique at London flagship

  15-08-2024 14:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Hamleys has unveiled a new beauty, dress up and accessories boutique concept called ‘Boutique: Be You’ at its flagship Regent Street store in London.
  The toy specialist’s space has been “designed to create a space where 4 to 14-year-olds can hang out with friends, dress up, be creative, feel inspired, explore and have fun”, located on the store’s second floor.
  Offering items including hair accessories, child-friendly cosmetics and nail art, dressing up outfits
  
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• The Range and Wilko appoint head of property to drive high street expansion

  15-08-2024 11:59 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  CDS Superstores, the operator of The Range and Wilko, has appointed Antony Darbyshire as its new head of property. With 30 years’ retail property experience, including... View Article
  
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• M&S launches first baby club

  15-08-2024 11:59 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  M&S has launched its first baby club as it continues to work to broaden its appeal for families. Free to join, the M&S baby club, or... View Article
  
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• The Range and Wilko poach Matalan’s property director to fuel store expansion

  15-08-2024 11:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The Range and Wilko owner has poached Matalan’s property director Antony Darbyshire to help accelerate its expansion plans.
  Darbyshire, who joins CDS Superstores as its new head of property, will be responsible for the rollout of Wilko’s concept stores across the UK and Northern Ireland.
  The discount chain, which was rescued out of administration by The Range last September, is set to open its sixth store in Poole on Friday (16 August) following successful openings in Exeter, Luton,
  
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• M&S launches baby club for Sparks members

  15-08-2024 11:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  M&S has launched its first ever baby club, called ‘The Parent Hood’, which is exclusive to members of its Sparks loyalty programme.
  The retailer is “bringing together the very best of M&S” across clothing, home, beauty, food, its in-store cafés, and third-party brands to create a “unique proposition” for Sparks members.
  The Parent Hood club is free to join and offers members the opportunity to save up to £250 each year.
  M&S said the cl
  
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• Amazon to trial drone deliveries in the UK by the end of the year

  15-08-2024 10:16 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Amazon has been given the go-ahead to begin a test of drone parcel deliveries in the UK. The retailer is one of six organisations chosen by... View Article
  
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• Asda faces strike ballot at another superstore

  15-08-2024 09:52 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Asda is facing more industrial action as 86% of staff at its Skelton superstore in York backed strike action in an indicative ballot, according to GMB Union.
  A formal strike ballot will now open today (15 August) and close on 9 September.
  GMB claims workers at the York store are concerned by health and safety, a loss of working hours in the store, and the wider fight for equal pay led by the union’s members, which will be heard in the High Court on 9 September.
  It said that 88% of its
  
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• Global fashion retailers divert Bangladesh orders due to political unrest

  15-08-2024 09:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Top global fashion retailers are moving orders away from Bangladesh due to turmoil around the fall of its prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the country’s manufacturers have reported.
  Factories based in the world’s second biggest garments exporter were closed for days following an uprising last week, sparked by the former prime minister’s government clamping down on student protesters, the Financial Times reported. 
  Clothes and shoes deliveries to Europe and North American for
  
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• Amazon to trial ‘Prime Air’ drone delivery service in UK

  15-08-2024 09:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Amazon will begin testing the use of a drone delivery service in the UK, called Prime Air.
  The move forms part of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) six projects to trial the use of drones in deliveries, Reuters reported.
  As it stands, British drone users are only allowed to fly the machines beyond the visual line of sight under trials with strict restrictions.
  However, as part of the trials revealed by the UK’s aviation regulator, selected projects would be allowed to f
  
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• Aldi ends click and collect service

  15-08-2024 09:08 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi is ending its click and collect service following its launch as a trial four years ago. The supermarket will no longer offer the service at... View Article
  
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• Tapi Carpets paid £3.7m for Carpetright stock and store leases following collapse

  15-08-2024 08:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Tapi Carpets paid £3.7m for Carpetright stock and store leases following the chain’s collapse in July.
  Restructuring advisers have revealed the terms for one of the two transactions that came after the collapse of the flooring giant last month, according to The Furnishing Report.
  Carpetright was placed into administration in July, with Tapi snapping up its intellectual property, two warehouses and more than a fifth of stores. However, more than 1,000 jobs were lost. Related StoryCarp
  
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• Victoria’s Secret appoints new chief executive

  15-08-2024 08:01 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Victoria’s Secret & Co has appointed Hillary Super as its new chief executive and member of its board. Due to take up the role on 9... View Article
  
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• Charles Tyrwhitt opens first store in Cheltenham

  15-08-2024 08:01 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Menswear brand Charles Tyrwhitt has opened its first store in Cheltenham. The move is part of  the brand’s wider store opening programme in the UK and... View Article
  
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• UK economy continues recovery from recession with GDP growth of 0.6%

  15-08-2024 08:01
  
  ONS data shows strong performance in second quarter with the service sector helping drive growth• Business live – rolling coverageBritain’s economy has extended the recovery from recession last year after recording growth of 0.6% in the three months to June.Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show gross domestic product (GDP) continued to grow in the second quarter, after growth of 0.7% in the first three months of 2024. City economists had forecast growth of 0
  
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• The care-label queen: how Andrea Cheong will stop you buying bad clothes

  15-08-2024 06:00
  
  She once worked in retail and now advises people on how to analyse clothing items: from the fabric to the seams to the buttons and beading. She gives her verdict on six of the latest high-street stylesAndrea Cheong wants to turn your clothes inside out. Or rather, she wants you to do it. The 32-year-old self-styled “fashion educator” from north London is a reformed fashion influencer. She now reviews clothes for her 248,000 TikTok and 152,000 Instagram followers, analysing clothing,
  
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• Global fashion brands cut Bangladesh orders after turmoil

  15-08-2024 05:05
  Producers in world’s second-largest garment exporter say customers are concerned about violence and disruption
  
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