Retail Week - Retail Week News

Tesco gains market share for first time in two years

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:37 GMT

Grocery market leader Tesco has increased its market share on a 12-week basis for the first time since 2007, the latest TNS data showed.

Tesco strikes partnership with DreamWorks

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:53 GMT

Tesco has struck an exclusive partnership with film studio DreamWorks to offer DVDs and merchandise in its stores.

Peter Williams: Retail locations need reinvention to meet web challenge

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:01 GMT

Today’s retailers need as few as 100 stores to achieve national coverage compared with up to 300 three years ago, meaning a “seismic change” is needed in many high streets and shopping centres, former Selfridges chief Peter Williams told the BCSC conference in Manchester today.

Games retailers cheer at Call of Duty release

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59 GMT

Games retailers will be rubbing their hands in glee today with the release of the most anticipated title of the year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

M&S targets £40m party food sales rise at Christmas

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:18 GMT

Marks & Spencer aims to boost sales of party food by up to 30% this Christmas on the back of three-for-two and half-price offers.

Chip and PIN cards and sat-navs ‘most endangered’ technologies says DSGi

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00 GMT

Chip and PIN credit cards, sat-navs and DVD players all feature on a list of 2010’s “most endangered technologies” compiled by DSGi-owned etailer Pixmania.com.

Alliance Boots loses out in Sweden

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:57 GMT

Alliance Boots is understood to have lost out in Sweden’s auction of part of its state-owned Apoteket pharmacy chain.

‘Middle-class shoplifters’ fuel surge in crime

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:56 GMT

Shoplifting has surged to unprecedented levels in the past year as the ‘middle-class shoplifter’ turns to crime to fund luxury lifestyles in the recession.

Retailers experience best October for seven years

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:55 GMT

Retailers have experienced the best October for seven years, with like-for-like sales up 3.8% on a year ago during the month.

Burberry social network to celebrate trench coat

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:31 GMT

Burberry, the upscale retailer and brand, has launched a social networking site celebrating its famous trench coat.

Asda posts flat profits and is ‘sold’ in internal Walmart deal

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:53 GMT

Asda, the Walmart-owned grocery and general merchandise giant, generated profit before tax of £520.4m last year.

Goldsmiths owner Aurum agrees refinancing

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:30 GMT

Aurum, the jewellery group formerly backed by Baugur, has agreed a debt for equity swap with lenders and said recent performance has been ahead of expectations.

Richer Sounds profits slide while revenue soars

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:29 GMT

Hi-fi and televisions retailer Richer Sounds experienced a pre-tax profit decline of 8% to £3.4m in its full year.

BrightHouse like-for-likes rise 9.9% in first half

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:17 GMT

Rent-to-own electricals and furniture retailer BrightHouse’s like-for-likes climbed 9.9% in the six months to September 30.

Boots awaits decision on bid for Swedish chain

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:02 GMT

Alliance Boots is expected to learn this week whether it has been successful in its bid to buy part of Sweden’s pharmacy monopoly.

Threshers: store closure list

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 15:30 GMT

The administrators of Threshers owner First Quench have published a list of stores earmarked for closure, following yesterday’s announcement that 373 shops are to be shut with the loss of nearly 2,000 jobs.

Liberty sales ‘stronger than last year’

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:07 GMT

London department store Liberty has reported “strong” sales in July, driven by sales from womenswear and its own-label brand, Liberty of London.

The Body Shop reports like-for-likes down 0.9%

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:29 GMT

The Body Shop reported like-for-like sales down 0.9% in its third quarter to September 30.

John Lewis records best month of year so far

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:09 GMT

John Lewis beat tough comps last week to beat last year’s performance by 7.8% and make October its best month of the year so far.

Mid-market retailers report 2.1% uplift in October

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:05 GMT

Mid-market retailers reported a 2.1% uplift in like-for-like sales in October, marking a tentative recovery in high street spending.

Postal strikes called off

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 08:50 GMT

Etailers will be breathing a sigh of relief this morning as the postal strikes have been called off until at least the New Year.

Victoria’s Secret unveils plans for launch in UK and Europe

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 06:00 GMT

US fashion and beauty giant Limited Brands has outlined plans to open Victoria’s Secret stores in strategic markets including the UK as part of an international expansion drive.

Almost 2,000 jobs to go as 373 First Quench stores close

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:53 GMT

The administrators of Threshers owner First Quench Retailing are to shut 373 stores, resulting in 1,738 redundancies.

Gap sales beat expectations

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:08 GMT

Sales for US fashion giant Gap beat expectations in October up 5% on last year to $1.14bn (£70m).

Hopes of recovery rise as Bank holds interest rates and injects £25bn into economy

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 12:39 GMT

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 0.5% for the eight month in a row and inject an extra £25bn into the economy in an attempt to stimulate recovery.

Mike Ashley renames Newcastle football ground

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 10:34 GMT

Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley is renaming Newcastle United’s football ground sportsdirect.com@St James’ Park.

TM Lewin reports record profits

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 09:30 GMT

Men’s and womenswear retailer TM Lewin reported it has defied the downturn to deliver record profits and that the new financial year has started strongly.

Sales improve at Signet

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 09:16 GMT

The UK’s biggest jewellery chain Signet has reported an improvement in sales in its third quarter.

Flat Christmas ahead, survey claims

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 09:00 GMT

Retail spend this Christmas will be flat compared to last year, but sales will fall 1.5% in 2010, a report from Deloitte forecast today.

Bodycare backs down on poppy ban

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:56 GMT

Toiletries and beauty specialist Bodycare has ended a ban on staff wearing poppies after its policy prompted a storm of protest and intervention by an MP.

Retailers to benefit as credit insurer Atradius increases cover

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:36 GMT

Atradius, one of the leading credit insurance firms, is to increase cover to UK companies.

SouthGate scheme in Bath opens its doors

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:08 GMT

Bath’s SouthGate shopping centre opened its doors today.

Christmas lights switch-on kick starts London festive shopping period

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:53 GMT

50,000 Londoners last night flocked to see the biggest-ever co-ordinated Christmas lights switch-on across the capital’s most famous high streets.

Next sales continue to beat expectations

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:41 GMT

Next sales have continued ahead of expectations with like-for-like sales down 1.3% for its third quarter to October 31.

Shop price inflation at zero after two months of deflation

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:37 GMT

Overall shop price inflation stood at zero last month after two consecutive months of deflation.

M&S posts flat first-half profits

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:34 GMT

Marks & Spencer reported a “good start” to its third quarter but is “cautious” about Christmas prospects after posting flat interim profits.

Carrier bag charges in Wales by May 2011

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:32 GMT

Shoppers in Wales may have to start paying for plastic bags before May 2011.

Marks & Spencer gives green light to branded food range

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:01 GMT

Marks & Spencer is to roll out its branded grocery offer to most of its shops after the success of a trial in 54 stores in the North East and South East of England.