Retail Week
March 25 2011
View all stories from this issue.
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Landmark, Mumbai
This 42,000 sq ft store on a single floor, from Indian book and music retailer Landmark, aims to do that which retailers operating in the sector everywhere are seeking to do: arrest the stagnation or decline of business owing to online alternatives. -
‘Minimal closures’ in Gap’s UK portfolio
Gap has said its international arm, which includes the UK, will continue to be a key driver of the fashion giant’s growth despite a handful of store closures. -
99p Stores mulls sale as advisors appointed
Discount retailer 99p Stores has appointed advisors to work on a strategic review of the business that could lead to a sale. -
Ahold has opened its first Albert Heijn store in Belgium
Ahold has opened its first Albert Heijn store in Belgium. Among the 12,000 products sold 1,500 are Flemish, including a wide range of Belgian beers and chocolates. All items are offered at the same prices as at Albert Heijn in the Netherlands.At the store, which covers floor space of 13,450 sq ft, shoppers can get the same private labels as in the Dutch stores. In addition, customers benefit from a ‘taste guarantee’, which means that if they do not like the flavour of a specific produc -
All Saints close to sale deal
All Saints is close to being bought by surprise suitor M1, a Beirut-based business co-founded by the likely next Lebanese Prime Minister, in partnership with Richard Sharp, the former head of Goldman Sachs’ private equity firm. A deal could be finalised as early as Monday. -
Apoteket to roll out 100 vending machines selling non-prescription drugs
Leading pharmacy operator Apoteket expects to roll out about 100 vending machines selling non-prescription drugs and other healthcare items in the first half of 2011.A machine can hold up to 60 products and all will be located at convenience stores, shopping centres and major travel interchanges.Apoteket director of distribution and production Tore Löwstedt said: “Apoteket’s machine concept is a safe way to increase access to pharmaceutical products for consumers.” -
Apple sues Amazon over ‘app store’ name
Apple is suing Amazon over its use of the name ‘App store’ to attempt to stop the online retailer from using the term. -
Bank lines up cash injection for All Saints
Icelandic bank Kaupthing was on standby to provide emergency funding to fashion group All Saints as Retail Week went to press. -
Bathstore sale talks on verge of collapse
Private equity firm Electra Partners’ bid to buy bathroom retailer Bathstore is understood to be on the brink of collapse. -
BDO High Street Sales Tracker
BDO High Street Sales Tracker data for the week ending March 20, 2011 -
BDO High Street Sales Tracker
BDO High Street Sales Tracker data for the week ending March 6, 2011 -
BDO High Street Sales Tracker
BDO High Street Sales Tracker data for the week ending March 11, 2011 -
Behind the scenes at Sports Direct
Chief executive Dave Forsey gives Gemma Goldfingle the inside perspective on Sports Direct and takes her on a tour of its Shirebrook nerve centre. -
Blue Inc acquisition of Officers Club stores will bring sales to £80m
Fashion retailer Blue Inc is expected to snap up 47 stores from Officers Club today after the latter is put into administration, which is expected imminently. -
Boden launches social network to boost loyalty
Catalogue and online retailer Boden has launched its own social network to help customers engage with the brand and drive loyalty. -
Bookseller Blackwell halves full-year losses
Book specialist Blackwell cut losses in half in 2010 as its decentralisation programme began to take effect. -
Brand Alley launches iPhone app and marketing campaign
Designer discount etailer BrandAlley has launched an iPhone app and produced a YouTube video to promote the retailer’s mobile strategy. -
Brands and mortar
The 20th annual Retail Week Conference last week featured a self-deprecating tour de force by the former owner of the most calamitous brand in Retail Week’s lifetime. -
Burberry plots expansion in Saudi Arabia
Luxury British heritage brand Burberry is to enter Saudi Arabia as part of a joint venture with retail group Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair. -
Burberry to boost brand with ‘statement stores’
High-profile London stores designed to dazzle shoppers and mark British heritage. -
Carphone Warehouse shifts focus from laptops to tablets
Carphone Warehouse is to focus on tablet computers in its stores in preference to netbooks and laptops in a bid to capitalise on the growing popularity of the devices. -
Cencosud sales up 16.1% to £7.3bn
Cencosud has posted a 16.1% increase in net sales to CLP6.19 trillion (£7.3bn) for 2010, while operating profit reached CLP306.5bn (£364m), as domestic demand recovered from the global financial crisis.Cencosud’s Chilean operations account for 46% of annual revenue, while the remainder comes from its four other South American operations. -
City awaits ‘key update’ from Asos
Etailer Asos’s next update, covering the fourth quarter and expected to be issued in mid-April, will be eagerly devoured by investors. -
Clinton Cards first half profits fall 41%
Clinton Cards pre-tax profit plunged 41% in the first half of its 2011 financial year. -
Clinton Lewin
As Clinton Cards posts results, Nicola Harrison talks to the group managing director about growing up in the business and what the year ahead holds. -
Completing the supply chain story
Achieve an end-to-end view of the supply chain and it’s possible to reap benefits across the business. Alison Clements reveals how Morrisons’ five-year plan transformed its supply chain operations. -
Consumers given a lift as Chancellor cuts fuel duty
Retailers received a lift in today’s budget as Chancellor George Osborne cut fuel duty, easing pressure on cash-strapped consumers. -
Deichmann sales up 13% to £58m
Deichmann has filed a 13% increase in sales for the 2010 fiscal year to HUF19.9bn (£58m), with an uplift in volumes from 2.67 million to 3.17 million pairs of shoes.Deichmann currently has 72 stores in Hungary, 11 of which opened last year. This year it plans to open four new stores in Budapest and six in other cities.At the end of 2010, the chain had 544 employees. -
Discounters the winners as grocery growth slows sharply
Grocery sales growth has slowed sharply in the past month according to the latest market share figures from Kantar Worldpanel. -
Dissident Publix shareholders launch campaign to replace grocer's board
A group of dissident Publix shareholders has launched a campaign to elect its own slate of nine directors to replace the existing grocer’s board, which is made up of five heirs and relatives of the chain’s founder, George Jenkins. The group is also pushing for the retailer to launch an IPO. -
East Oxford Street redevelopment to deliver 58% increase in spend
Spending on the east end of London’s famous shopping destination Oxford Street is set to increase 58% to £1.2bn by 2016 as a result of the redevelopment of the area, including the new Crossrail link and new stores planned by retailers such as Primark. -
Experian Footfall: Week 11, 2011
Experian Footfall index data for the week ending March 13, 2011 -
Experian Footfall: Week 9, 2011
Experian Footfall index data for the week ending March 6, 2011 -
Flintoff fronts Morrison’s ‘Let’s Celebrate’ ad campaign
Morrison’s has launched a new ad campaign on the ‘Let’s Celebrate’ theme, designed to key into the wave of upcoming red letter days and bank holidays. -
Former Tesco director joins Ocado to head non-food
Ocado has poached a Tesco director to lead its new general merchandise team as it drives to diversify its offer. -
Fortnum & Mason store attacked in riots
Luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason was one of many West End shops attacked by protesters during Saturday’s anti-spending cuts march in London. -
George at Asda promotes careers in fashion with education drive
George at Asda has thrown its weight behind the training and education of fashion students with the launch of an open-house Education Day and a fully funded university programme. -
Groundhog Day for Tom Singh at New Look
New Look founder Tom Singh must have hoped that, aged 62, he could look forward to putting his feet up and enjoying his millions rather than being back on the operational frontline of fashion retail. -
Higher income shoppers will keep spending
Marks & Spencer, Kingfisher and Dixons will benefit this year from their older, higher income customer bases, according to broker Espirito Santo. -
HMV confirms it is mulling sale of Waterstone's and Canada business
HMV has confirmed it is mulling the sale of Waterstone’s as well as its Canadian business as part of its turnaround strategy. -
HMV in 'exclusive talks' with Tim Waterstone and Mamut
HMV has entered exclusive talks with Tim Waterstone and HMV shareholder Alexander Mamut about a possible sale of Waterstone’s, it is understood. -
Holding the power over retailers
Credit insurers are exploiting their dominant market position, says Simon Burke -
Hope springs urinal
Experience is still central to the business of successful retailing -
Hornbach Holding net sales grow 5.7% to £2.6bn
DIY operator Hornbach Holding has revealed net sales growth of 5.7% to E3.02bn (£2.6bn) for the financial year ended February 28.DIY store division Hornbach-Baumarkt-AG achieved growth of 5.6% year on year. Builders material wholesale division Hornbach Baustoff Union increased its net sales by 8.4% to a still marginal E180m (£158m). -
Hotel Chocolat opens first phase of its hotel in St Lucia
Chocolatier Hotel Chocolat has opened the first phase of its hotel at its cocoa plantation in St Lucia. -
In Focus: Cath Kidston
Cath Kidston is the fastest growing retailer Retail Week Knowledge Bank (RWKB) has recently encountered. -
Inditex EBITDA soars 25% in 2010
Fashion group Inditex’s EBITDA soared 25% in its 2010 financial year. -
Inflation rises to 4.4%
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) annual rate of inflation rose to 4.4% in February, up from 4% in January. -
Jaeger extends delivery to a further seven countries
Premium retailer Jaeger has opened up its website to a further seven international markets. -
JJB granted second shot at survival after CVA agreed
JJB Sports has been given the green light for a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) by creditors and shareholders in order to stave off administration. -
John Lewis launches 'never ending refund'
John Lewis has scrapped its 28-day return period and launched a “never ending refund” in a bid to attract cautious customers. -
John Lewis sales rise 1.4%
John Lewis department store sales were up 1.4% last week, though sales dropped off on Saturday as would-be shoppers chose to enjoy the sunshine. -
Kantar Worldpanel: Clothing, footwear and accessories
The latest Kantar Worldpanel Clothing, footwear and accessories data for the 24 weeks ending January 23 2011 vs 2009 -
Kingfisher profits up 23%
DIY giant Kingfisher has reported full-year pre-tax profits up 23% to £670m and said it will ramp up expansion and continue to focus on value for shareholders through the priorities of management, capital and returns. -
Lakeside – a retail coming of age
Since 1990 Lakeside has set new benchmarks and innovated to drive shopper footfall, but how is it keeping up with changing shopper behaviour? -
Liberty to revamp beauty hall
Iconic department store Liberty is to almost double the size of its beauty hall and unveil a new theatrical feel. -
Lidl relying on exclusive manufacturer contracts and own production facilities for private-label
Schwarz Group’s discounter Lidl is increasingly relying on exclusive manufacturer contracts and own production facilities for its private-label products.Lidl is building two more plants for waters and soft drinks in Germany, in addition to its existing four Mitteldeutsche Erfrischungsgetränke GmbH & Co KG factories, bought by Lidl five years ago. -
M&S use of Interflora as a keyword on Google may be stopped
Trademark laws that apply to internet advertising may be due to change as it emerges that Marks & Spencer’s use of Interflora as a Google keyword may be stopped. -
Marks & Spencer strikes design partnership with Sir Terence Conran
Marks & Spencer has struck a partnership with legendary designer and retailer Sir Terence Conran to produce an exclusive home collection. -
Massimo Dutti changes gear
Inditex brand Massimo Dutti has refurbished its Regent Street flagship, with vintage props galore including bicycles. John Ryan walks the store with UK and Ireland managing director Dilip Patel -
Mohammed Hussain
Managing director, Mobile Fun -
Moodys downgrades Matalan on margin fears
Credit ratings agency Moodys has downgraded its ratings on value fashion group Matalan. -
Mothercare to make play for South America
Mother and baby specialist Mothercare aims to expand into South America as it ramps up its international operations. -
Netflix to link accounts with Facebook
Netflix has reportedly begun asking users to link their Netflix accounts with Facebook in order to share information about what films they are watching with friends and family.Netflix has been rolling out versions of the new Facebook integration to test users over the past few weeks. Facebook is increasingly being used by brands for word-of-mouth advertising, as a way of tapping into users’ ability to influence those around them as well as for social commerce. -
New Look to switch focus back to product
Fashion group New Look will refocus on product under new leadership following the ousting of chief executive Carl McPhail. -
Next posts profit rise and warns that retail landscape has been transformed
Fashion giant Next has reported record profits but warned that the retail landscape has fundamentally changed. -
Oddbins applies for administration
Wine specialist Oddbins has applied to go into administration to protect the business from creditors’ claims, ahead of a crucial meeting this week to decide on its future. -
Officers Club in administration
The rising cost of raw materials has forced discount menswear chain Officers Club into administration, but young fashion chain Blue Inc has saved half of its stores. -
Officers Club on the brink of administration
Discount menswear chain Officers Club is understood to be on the brink of administration, with young fashion chain Blue Inc a frontrunner to snap up some of its stores. -
Patagonia to open its first UK company-owned store
Californian outdoor brand Patagonia is to open its first UK company-owned store in London’s Covent Garden this summer. -
Pick n Pay launches Smart Shopper loyalty scheme
South Africa’s second largest grocery retailer Pick n Pay has launched the country’s largest and most extensive loyalty programme, named Smart Shopper. -
Play.com customer email addresses leaked
Entertainment etailer Play.com has suffered a possible security breach after customers complained of receiving spam emails to addresses only used for transactions on its site. -
Princesse Tam Tam Paris
From a visual merchandising perspective, the conventional way to display lingerie is to put bra and matching panties on a headless mannequin or, in extremis, just to have a bust wearing the bra. -
Product launches
Hype surrounding soon-to-launch products offers a wealth of opportunity for retailers to cash in on the demand -
Promotions driving grocery spend, Nielsen reports
Record levels of promotions are expected to drive grocers’ Mothers’ Day and Easter performance but shoppers will then once again rein in spending, according to market data company Nielsen. -
Retail in Scotland
Uncertainty over jobs and income plus the later time of Easter have had an impact on retail in Scotland, causing the worst drop in sales since 2000. -
Retail sales volumes down 1% on previous month
The volume of retail sales excluding petrol was down 1% in February on the previous month, while value, excluding petrol, was down 0.4% according to the Office of National Statistics. -
Retailers urge Boris to crack down on West End violence
The New West End Company, the body which represents retailers in the area, has written to London Mayor Boris Johnson to demand a crackdown on protests in the West End following Saturday’s riots. -
Retailers weigh up impact of Channel Islands VAT changes
Chancellor hopes tackling Low Value Consignment Relief will help struggling entertainment stores -
Sainsbury’s King warns slump in consumer confidence will persist
Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King has signalled that consumer sentiment has collapsed since the beginning of the year and shows no signs of improvement. -
Sainsbury's Q4 like-for-likes up 1%
Sainsbury’s fourth quarter like-for-like sales grew 1% excluding fuel in the 10 weeks to March 19. -
Savings All Round
Sustainable retail has several drivers - consumer awareness, media coverage of environmental issues and the introduction of government legislation. -
SCS set to forge ahead with new stores despite trading slowdown
Sofa retailer SCS is pushing ahead with store expansion plans despite a slowdown in trading last month. -
Shoppers complain over Waitrose's new website
Waitrose has suffered a blow after customers complained of problems on its new £10m website, which was launched with much fanfare two weeks ago. -
Sir Stuart Rose takes stake in The Hut
Former Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose has bought a stake in online retail group The Hut. -
Small stores are big business
The race for grocery space looks likely to be played out in the convenience sector in the next few years. -
Speculation swirls around Rose's holding in Marks & Spencer
Former Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose is at the centre of speculation that he has sold a big tranche of shares in the retailer. -
Store share prices hold up as updates begin
Food giant Sainsbury’s was among a raft of big names to report over the week, when general retailers held their own against the market. -
'Storm in a tea bag' as Co-op employee sacked 'for drinking Lady Grey'
A Co-operative employee has claimed he was sacked for drinking Twining Lady Grey tea at work instead of Co-op own brand tea. -
SuperGroup chief operating officer steps down
SuperGroup chief operating officer Diane Savory is to stand down after 20 years at the retailer. -
Tackling retail’s seasonal flu
Staff sickness rises sharply in winter. Rebecca Thomson finds out how Liberty dealt with it -
Ted Baker pre-tax profits up 24.2%
Ted Baker pre-tax profit rose 24.2% to £24.2m in its full-year results but the quirky fashion retailer warned that the outlook for 2011 is uncertain. -
Tesco's price checker backfires
Tesco has been forced to issue of flood of refunds after its efforts to go head-to-head with Asda’s price guarantee have backfired. -
The week in retail
Have you been paying attention to all our retail news this week? Take our quiz and find out. -
Tom Singh reinstates Roger Wightman in New Look buying role
New Look founder Tom Singh has reappointed Roger Wightman to the role of group buying director at the fast-fashion chain just weeks after he was ousted by former chief executive Carl McPhail. -
Topps Tiles like-for-likes up 1.8% in first half
Topps Tiles expects like-for-likes to have increased by about 1.8% in the 26 weeks to April 2. -
Up close and personal
Find an innovative way to build a relationship with your customer, says Jacqueline Gold -
Updated: Alliance Boots boss Andy Hornby to step down from business
Updated: Alliance Boots group chief executive Andy Hornby is to step down from the business, Retail Week has learned. -
Updated: TJ Hughes sold to management backed by Endless
Updated: TJ Hughes, the discount department store chain, has been acquired by its management backed by restructuring specialist Endless, in a move revealed by Retail Week. -
Vision Express hires chief to build brand
Optical specialist Vision Express has hired former Greene King and Sainsbury’s director Jonathan Lawson as its new chief executive. -
Walmart chief for the US William Simon confident of reversing the fortunes of the retailer
Walmart chief for the US William Simon said he was confident of reversing the fortunes of the retailer after seven consecutive quarters of domestic sales declines at stores open at least a year.Part of his strategy includes returning to the Everyday Low Prices formula, after it veered to discounting. He said he hoped this would win back some of Walmart’s core customers, and he wants to restore the retailer’s reputation as a one-stop shopping destination. -
What do I need to know about intellectual property laws around the royal wedding?
As a retailer, what do I need to know about intellectual property laws and limitations surrounding the royal wedding? -
What it’s like to work at Dwell Furniture
The inside view from marketing director Sean Galligan -
Where is the market heading?
Changing fashion isn’t just a problem for those selling clothes. The wider trends, issues and pressures facing retailers also come and go over time. -
Will mobile phone discount vouchers become the new face of loyalty schemes?
Will mobile phone discount vouchers become the new face of loyalty schemes and how can we, as a retail brand, ensure they are used to our advantage? -
Williams-Sonoma Q4 net revenues up 9.7% to £740m
Home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma has reported net revenues in its fourth quarter increased 9.7% to $1.2bn (£740m), including internet net revenue growth of 27.2% and a like-for-like sales increase of 5.2%.At the company’s mail order unit, Direct-to-customer (DTC), net revenues increased 17.3% to $466m (£287m), primarily driven by the Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, PBteen, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm brands.The retailer’s net income for the quarter rose 28% to $113m ( -
Winning in tough times
This year’s Retail Week Conference showed how creatively UK retailers are tackling tough trading conditions. Charlotte Hardie and Rebecca Thomson report on the highlights.
