Retail Week
November 25 2011
View all stories from this issue.
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A pop at pop-ups
As Christmas draws near, is the purpose of the pop-up store changing and is this to be welcomed? -
A snack best served cool, cold and crisp
Marks & Spencer likes to keep its crisps nice and crisp apparently, as we found out when we chanced upon a fridge full of them at one of its Simply Food stores. -
A year is a long time in multichannel
The definitive guide to the multichannel strategies of the largest UK retailers. -
Ahold posts year-on-year sales increase
Ahold has posted year-on-year sales up 1.9% to e23bn (£19.7bn) in the first nine months of 2011. Operating income was e1bn (£861m), down 2.1%. The retailer achieved like-for-like sales growth across its operations in Europe and the US.Ahold chief executive Dick Boer said: “Customers remain cautious in their spending and focus on value in an inflationary environment.We continue to adapt to the challenging market conditions, balancing sales and margins.” -
Aigle, Covent Garden
Shops selling a single category are thin on the ground – width, as well as depth, is normally deemed desirable by most retailers. -
Amazon set to launch smartphone
Amazon is set to launch its own smartphone which could debut next year. -
Analysis: The out-of-town fashion set
Some fashion retailers are mixing things up and turning to retail parks for store growth. Is this a trend that will increase? Rebecca Thomson examines the shift and asks if it will last. -
Annabel Astor
Chief executive, OKA Direct -
Arcadia profits fall as Sir Philip Green confirms mass store closures
Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia fashion group experienced a profit slump in the year to August 28 as the retailer confirmed mass store closures on the high street. -
Arcadia profits set to plummet by a third
Arcadia pre-tax profits are set to drop by a third following the sales slump caused by last year’s harsh winter. -
Arcadia takes margin hit as it shoulders VAT rise
Topshop-owner takes heart from young fashion, online and overseas despite fall in profits -
Asda staff share £17m Christmas package
Staff at Asda are to share a £17m ‘Festive Thank You’ this Christmas. -
Asda: UK families have £13 less to spend
UK families’ spending power fell £13 a week on last year, according to Asda. -
Blacks warns on profits as consumers cut spending
Embattled specialist retailer Blacks Leisure has issued a profit warning but insists it still has the support of its bankers. -
Bonmarché bolsters multichannel offer with TV and iPad initiatives
Value womenswear retailer Bonmarché is pushing its multi-channel presence by selling its wares through a television shopping channel. -
Boots debuts pop up shop on Oxford Street
Boots has opened its first pop up Christmas store on Oxford Street as it relocates one of its shops on the famous shopping destination. -
BRC report illustrates retail's "world-class" contribution to economy
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) hopes to push the Government’s hand on easing increased taxes for retailers with a report showing UK retailing is “world-class”. -
Buffet wants to increase Tesco holding
Tesco shareholder Warren Buffet, widely regarded one of the world’s most successful investors, has revealed he wants to increase his stake in the grocer. -
Can I make more money by cutting margins and increasing market share?
We are a specialist retailer that is in a growing market. Will we make more money by cutting our margins to grab market share? -
Can retailers be liable for rent on leases sold some years ago?
Can a retailer be liable for rent on a lease they sold in 1993 – the current tenant is in administration? -
Can Somerfield acquisition reverse The Co-op's fortunes?
The Co-operative Group greatly increased its food retailing scale by acquiring Somerfield, hot on the heels of merging with the United Co-op. -
Caption competition: What is Boris up to?
Boris Johnson joined a choir of retailers last week to celebrate the West End’s traffic-free shopping weekend. -
'Christmas momentum building' at John Lewis despite sales fall
John Lewis sales fell 3.2% last week year-on-year but the department store said Christmas momentum is building as week-on-week sales grew 11.6%. -
Clothes when you’re feeling sorry for yourself
This humble clothes brand was discovered in the Ripley department store in Santiago. -
Colin Graves
He may have sold Costcutter, but that doesn’t mean its founder is taking it easy and stepping back from the business. Alex Lawson reports. -
Debenhams launches personal shopping service for the blind
Debenhams has become the first major UK retailer to offer a tailored shopping service for blind and partially sighted customers. -
Discounter Dia cuts 2011 sales forecast
Spanish-based discounter Dia has cut its sales forecast for 2011 due to troubles in the “complicated” French retail market, where its nine-month like-for-likes fell nearly 7%. In 2010, France accounted for nearly 27% of Dia’s sales worldwide. The retailer, which was spun off by Carrefour last July, said it now expects net sales in local currencies to rise by more than 3% for the year, down from its earlier forecast of mo -
Dixons group losses widen despite improved UK performance
Electricals group Dixons underlying pre-tax losses widened from £6.9m to £25.3m in the 24 weeks to October 15 however the UK performance strengthened in the period. -
DIY innovation pays dividends
Kingfisher’s programme of self-help has paid dividends, and not just to its shareholders. -
Dollar Tree reports net sales increase
Discounter Dollar Tree has reported an 11.9% rise in consolidated net sales to $1.6bn (£1.02bn) for the third quarter ended October 30. Like-for-like sales increased 4.8%, following an 8.7% improvement for the third quarter in 2010. During the period, the retailer opened 98 stores, closed five and expanded or relocated 24. The retail sales area climbed 8.7% to 37.4 million sq ft compared with the same period last year. -
EBay acquires data firm to improve recommendations
EBay has acquired US data analysis firm Hunch to help it develop tailored recommendations for its users. -
Etail pop-up shops
In an increasingly competitive market, etailers are turning to the high street in an attempt to boost sales and raise brand awareness. -
Fashion retailers set to sign up to Wembley City
Several key fashion retailers are on the verge of signing up to a new designer outlet in Wembley. -
Flat sales at John Lewis this week as shoppers prepare for Christmas
Sales at John Lewis were flat this week as customers bought up toys and gift wrap and finally begun to prepare for the cold weather. -
Foot Locker to launch new fascia in the UK
US giant to unveil The Locker Room ‘concept’ store in Brent Cross -
Footfall slumps as cash-strapped shoppers rein in spending
Footfall declined at its steepest rate for a year in the last three months, falling by 2.3% year-on-year as high street footfall plummeted 4.7% in October. -
Former Asda COO Simon King appointed Wickes MD
DIY chain Wickes has appointed former Asda chief operating officer Simon King as its managing director. -
Former Ethel Austin staff miss out on redundancy pay
An employment tribunal has ruled that 1,200 Ethel Austin staff will not receive redundancy pay. -
Fossil finds time to launch new Watch Station fascia in Stratford
Accessories and fashion retailer Fossil is to launch a new fascia in the UK in Westfield Stratford. -
Gilt takes golden UK opportunity
US private Sale giant Gilt is making a play for the UK market, which it believes will be its top performing overseas territory as it launches international shipping. -
Goldman Sachs in talks to take control of Peacocks
Goldman Sachs is in talks to take control of value fashion chain Peacocks. -
HMV launches film on-demand service
Entertainment retailer HMV has teamed up with specialist FilmFlex Movies to provide films on-demand. -
Hopes high for Chancellor rethink on business rates
Retailers hope George Osborne will next week reveal a change in the way costly business rates are calculated when the Chancellor presents his Autumn Statement. -
Hotel Chocolat reports pre-tax profit jump
A jump in sales at upmarket chocolate chain Hotel Chocolat has led to a 25% rise in pre-tax profits to £2.6m. -
Ikea plans fourth Russian store
Home furnishings retailer Ikea aims to at least double its store count in Moscow. The retailer is understood to be planning a fourth store that would be its largest in Russia to date. The project involves a 50-hectare shopping centre located in Mytishchi, just north of Moscow, and will be its largest mall in Europe. Ikea plans to start construction in 2012 with completion due in 201 -
In focus: Co-operative Group
Following a weak performance this year, the grocer is concentrating on its core strengths. -
In pictures: Everything Everywhere new store model, Westfield, London
Mobile phone retailer Everything Everywhere opens a new store model at Westfield on Monday. -
In pictures: M&S Paris flagship opens today
Marks & Spencer is to open its flagship Paris store today. -
In pictures: Waitrose enjoys strong sales
Increased sales at Waitrose as a result of its tie up with Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal have continued with another strong week of trading. -
Indian cabinet approves foreign investment in retail
The Indian government has cleared the way to allow multinational retailers including Tesco, Carrefour and Walmart to enter its retail market. -
Jack & Jones and Swarovski open first UK out-of-town stores in Glasgow
Fashion brand Jack & Jones and jeweller Swarovski are to open their first out-of-town stores in Glasgow Fort Shopping Park. -
Jacques Vert warns on profits
Occasionwear specialist Jacques Vert has warned on profits after unseasonably warm weather and weak consumer confidence took a toll. -
Jaeger launches transactional mobile site
Fashion brand Jaeger is targeting an 80% increase in mobile sales with the launch of its new mobile-optimised transactional site. -
JD Sports preparing for "tough" Christmas
JD Sports Fashion has revealed flat like-for-likes in the 16 weeks to November 19. -
John Lewis sales slip as warm weather hits trade
John Lewis’s sales were down by 1.2% in the seven days to Saturday as unseasonably warm weather continues to affect sales. -
John Lewis unveils virtual store
Department store John Lewis has launched its first virtual shop at Waitrose’s store in Brighton. -
Kingfisher boss launches green task force
Kingfisher boss Ian Cheshire is to lead an independent task force aimed at finding new opportunities for UK businesses to drive green economic growth. -
Liberty revamped beauty department paying off
London department store Liberty has said it will see a return on the £500,000 it invested in overhauling its beauty department by the end of this year, just six months after redevelopment. -
Lloyds Pharmacy to open second Health Village
Health specialist Lloyds Pharmacy will open a second trial Health Village in Thurrock, Essex -
Lovehoney acquires erotic retailer Coco de Mer
Lovehoney, the UK’s largest online retailer of sex toys, has acquired high-end erotic retailer Coco de Mer in a deal which gives it its first high-street presence. -
M&S aims to make most of online customer data
Marks & Spencer aims to be able to access a customer’s data on an in-store till point that will show what the customer has previously searched for online. -
Majestic Wine Come and explore
Majestic Wine has been one of retail’s success stories of late and its first TV ad campaign launched last week helps to show why. -
Mayor launches West End traffic-free shopping weekend
Shoppers will take over the West End when traffic is banned in the area on December 10 and 11, Mayor Boris Johnson revealed today. -
Mega Monday sparks battle for festive spend
Retailers have kick-started the race for online Christmas spend this week with a raft of offers as they capitalise on Mega Monday, traditionally the busiest day of the year for etailers. -
Metro Group appoints new chief executive
Metro Group has appointed Olaf Koch as its new chief executive from January 1, 2012 and Franz Markus Haniel as new chairman of the supervisory board with immediate effect. Koch has served as chief financial officer of Metro Group since September 2009.Current chief executive Dr Eckhard Cordes said on October 9 that he would not be available for another term in office and will leave the company on December 31. The supervisory board will decide about Koch’s successor at a meeting on Decem -
Migros Ticaret reports net sales increase
Grocer Migros Ticaret has reported net sales of TRL4.25bn (£1.8bn) for the first nine months of 2011, up 10.5% on same period last year. After the sale of discount banner Sok to Turkey-based retailer Bizim in August, Migros has continued to successfully implement its new store opening strategy, which is focused primarily on the supermarket brand. During the period, store numbers increased to 731. -
Morrisons head of brand strategy departs
Morrisons head of brand strategy Danny Micklethwaite has left the grocer after just five months. -
Mothercare: The mother of all challenges
Maternity specialist Mothercare, alarmed by a sudden drop in sales, has launched a restorative operational review. Gemma Goldfingle reports on the outlook for the retailer. -
Multichannel Now: Executive Summary
Retail Week brings you highlights of our second definitive report into the state of multichannel retailing in the UK. -
Net income rise for Abercrombie & Fitch
Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch’s third-quarter results showed net income rose by 2% to $50.9m (£32.5m) while revenue soared 22% to $1.08bn (£690.3m). Revenue from stores open at least one year climbed 7%, including gains of 4% at Abercrombie & Fitch, 6% at Abercrombie Kids and 8% at -
Net sales increase for Walmart
Walmart disclosed that net sales in its third quarter rose 8.2% to $109.5bn (£70bn). Operating income grew by 4.8% to $5.9bn (£3.77bn). Net sales at Walmart US increased 2.7% to $63.8bn (£41bn) while like-for-likes turned positive after nine consecutive quarters of declines. Meanwhile, Walmart International reported that net sales on a constant currency basis were up 15.3% year on year. All marke -
New West End Company launches Secret Sales Spy to help bargain savvy shoppers
The New West End Company has launched its Secret Sales Spy initiative to help guide shoppers to the best promotions in the area today. -
November retail sales down, CBI figures show
Retail sales dropped in November as cautious shoppers resulted in “below average” sales volumes for the time of the year. -
Office specialists seek to reinvent themselves
Few retail channels have suffered as much in recent years (well, possibly with the exception of the entertainment players focused on music and books) as the office specialists. -
ONS figures go viral
I’ve been resisting it for years, but a couple of weeks ago I finally tiptoed into Twitterland. -
Parks and recreation
Harvester pub restaurants, banks and ‘health villages’ are popping up where once stood DIY stores and furniture shops. Mark Faithfull asks what such changes mean for the world of retail parks -
Retail needs a break from the politicians
When is a plastic bag not just any old plastic bag? The answer apparently is when its purpose is to protect what’s inside rather than simply to carry stuff home. -
Retail Week Property - Warehousing
Read Retail Week Property - Warehousing as a fully digital edition. -
Retailers must engage their customers as individuals
In a highly competitive marketplace, retailers need to differentiate themselves and stand out from their competitors. -
Retailers pay charities to reduce rates bills
Retail property owners are avoiding paying business rates on vacant property by tempting charity shops into the units. -
Retailers squeeze their suppliers as spending stalls
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, N Brown and Debenhams are reportedly putting pressure on suppliers to ease the pain of tough trading conditions. -
Rivals woo M&S fashion boss Bostock
Marks & Spencer’s general merchandise executive director Kate Bostock is in the frame for top jobs with other retailers who are attempting to woo her away from the high street giant. -
Sainsbury's contests Ocado bag tax immunity
Sainsbury’s has raised concerns over a new levy on carrier bags in Wales which does not affect Ocado. -
Sales uplift for Sa Sa International
Beauty retailer Sa Sa International generated a sales uplift of 32.7% to HKD2.79bn (£226m) for the six months ended September 30. The performance benefited from a strong performance in Sa Sa’s core Hong Kong and Macau market, with like-for-like sales rising by 24.1%.The retailer said the increase was driven mainly by buoyant consumer demand that reinforced Sa Sa’s position “as the top-of-mind cosmetics retailer among mainland tourists, visitors from overseas, and local residents of Hon -
Sears reports decrease in total revenue
Retailer Sears has reported a 1.2% fall in total revenue to $9.6bn (£6.1bn) for the third quarter ended October 29. The decline was primarily the result of a 0.8% drop in domestic like-for-like sales and a 7.8% fall at Sears Canada. It was also the effect of having fewer Kmart and Sears full-line stores in operation. However, online like-for-likes for items shipped directly to the shoppers rose 19% over the previous year. -
Selfridges reveals Christmas frontrunners
Patriotic purchases and trendy technology are dominating sales at Selfridges in the lead up to Christmas. -
Signet UK reports flat third quarter like-for-likes
Jeweller Signet’s UK like-for-like sales edged down in the the third quarter. -
Specsavers' short-sightedness
Perhaps Specsavers should have picked a better role model for its Glamorous Glasses Wearer of the Year. -
Store card incentives banned
Retailers will not incentivise shoppers to sign up to storecards with deals such as introductory discounts, following an agreement on good practice between industry and the Government. -
Store sector suffers as market plummets
Store stocks took a pummelling over the week although they did not fall as steeply as the wider market. -
Stores that click all of the boxes
Multichannel has transformed shopping and forced big changes to the way retailers and landlords do business. Ben Cooper finds out how multichannel is revolutionising the out-of-town market. -
Ted's world
Already aware that Ted Baker chief executive Ray Kelvin was a quirky character, I still did not expect to be sitting in a changing room drinking high tea and eating cream cakes with him. -
Tesco to launch Big Christmas Price Drop
Tesco will tomorrow up the ante in the supermarket price war in the face of “intense” competition. -
The Conran Shop: Designs on the future
The Conran Shop in Chelsea has traded for 25 years, but has been refurbished to give it greater relevance. John Ryan reports. -
The move out of town
Bright spots may be hard to find in the retail sector at the moment, but those involved in retail parks can claim that this is one of them -
These days, size does matter
Small stores are sexy again. What a turnaround. -
TM Lewin profits up as it eyes further international growth
TM Lewin EBITDA rose 5% to £14.7m in the year to February 26 despite the “challenging conditions”. -
Topman and Currys/PC World’s changing faces
The best retailers work to move with the times and if this means shops that don’t conform to the norm, then so be it. -
Tough times in retailing create opportunities
The pressure is on, but when the going gets tough the tough get going, says Lord Kirkham. -
US expansion top priority for etailer Very
Shop Direct-owned fashion etailer Very.co.uk has pushed the button on its international launch and expects that overseas business will be bigger than its domestic business in the next five to 10 years. -
Video: EBay launches app to tempt TV fans to shop while they watch
EBay has unveiled a new function to its iPad app in the US to allow users to shop the marketplace for items related to what they are watching on TV. The marketplace will launch it in the UK if it proves successful. -
Video: Halfords launches Christmas TV ad
Halfords is pushing cycle sales with an emotive Christmas TV ad in a move away from its traditionally price and value focused campaigns. -
WHSmith launches social networking e-reader Kobo Vox
WHSmith has launched Kobo Vox, a new e-reader that connects readers of the same book via Facebook and Twitter.
