Retail Week
September 30 2011
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Bed Bath & Beyond reports net sales increase
Home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond has reported net sales for the second quarter ended August 27, 2011 increased by 8.3% to $2.3bn (£1.5bn). Like-for-like store sales in the financial second quarter of 2011 increased by approximately 5.6% compared with the period the year before. Net earnings grew by 26.2% to $229m (£148m).During the second quarter, the retailer opened three Bed Bath & Beyond stores, seven buybuy BABY stores and four Christmas Tree Shops. It also close -
How can I meet my health and safety obligations when using contractors?
When using contractors, how can I ensure that I satisfy my health and safety obligations to prevent prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive? -
New Look circled by vulture funds
New Look is being circled by ‘vulture funds’ as pressure builds on the fashion retailer to pay off its £680m Payment in Kind (PIK) debts. -
A chance to meet Bagpuss & Co
Prepare for a nostalgia overload. -
Aditya Birla Retail to expand presence in rural markets
Aditya Birla Retail has announced that it will focus on expanding its presence in rural markets, according to its vice- president Sumit Chandna.Over 30% of the retailer’s supermarkets are in smaller towns where disposable income is high, hence future expansion will be centred on these locations, he noted. -
Agent Provocateur moves back into the black
Luxury lingerie chain Agent Provocateur has moved back into the black, posting a £1.1m pre-tax profit last year compared with a £1.8m loss the previous year. -
Alexon bought by Sun European in prepack deal
Alexon has been bought by private equity firm Sun European Partners as part of a prepack deal after the business fell into administration today. -
Alexon suspends shares as administration looms
Troubled womenswear group Alexon has suspended its shares on the Stock Exchange “pending clarification of the company’s financial position”. -
All Mod cons
Clothing brand Ben Sherman has given its Carnaby Street flagship a complete revamp and the result is one of the best-looking stores along this avenue of fashion. John Ryan visits -
Amazon launches rival to iPad
US etail giant Amazon has launched its own tablet the Kindle Fire, which it hopes will pose the biggest threat yet to Apple’s iPad. -
Amazon piloting next day grocery delivery in US
Amazon is piloting a next day grocery delivery service in Seattle that allows customers to order goods by 11pm and receive their order by 6am the next day. -
Argos will not close stores, says Duddy
Argos has maintained it needs a 750-strong store estate despite growing calls from the City to slash store numbers. -
'Authenticity' key to celebrity branding, says Tommy Hilfiger
The ubiquity of celebrity culture and emergence of social media means the basis of tie-ups between stars and fashion firms has changed, legendary designer Tommy Hilfiger told the World Retail Congress. -
AutoZone reports net sales increase
AutoZone has reported net sales for the financial year ended August 27, 2011 increased by 9.6% to $8.1bn (£5.2bn). Same-store sales rose by 6.3% while net income was up by 15% to $848m (£547m). Fourth quarter net sales climbed 8.1% to $2.6bn (£1.7bn) while same-store sales grew by 4.5%.Bill Rhodes, chairman, president and chief executive, said: “Our fourth quarter performance was a strong conclusion to a record-breaking year for AutoZone. We also achieved several all-time company recor -
B&Q launches mobile site
DIY retailer B&Q has today launched a mobile transactional website in a move to capitalise on growing online sales. -
Bill Carrahar
The new director of Carpetright’s beds business, Sleepright, is passionate about the sector that has given him a second career, and is looking forward to working with an ‘icon in the industry’ -
Birmingham's BID to get shoppers back
Birmingham’s Style Live event showed the role Business Improvement Districts can play in creating excitement which brings shoppers back into town. -
Carrefour unveils plans for Parisian superstore
French international grocery retailer Carrefour has announced plans to open a one-off premium superstore in Paris within a year. -
Clintons delays results announcement
Troubled greetings cards retailer Clintons has delayed the reporting of its prelims by two weeks. -
Colruyt predicts net profit will be below market expectations
Colruyt predicts that net profit this year will be below market expectations and no higher than last year. According to the grocer, the reasons for this are higher food, energy and staff costs.The traditionally cautious Belgian company said it would not be able to fully pass on higher food and energy prices and the cost of training new staff to even more cost-conscious consumers. -
Conran Shop opens 'Play Zone'
The Conran Shop has opened a new ‘Play Zone’ where you won’t be the only adult playing around. -
Consumer confidence rises in September
Consumer confidence improved in September for the first time since May. -
Cut bag use or face legislation, Cameron tells retailers
Prime Minister David Cameron has raised the prospect of introducing laws to force store groups to slash the number of plastic bags they distribute. -
Dansk aims to overtake Lidl
Dansk Supermarket and its Sweden-based banner Netto is aiming to overtake Lidl to become the largest hard discounter in the country. Chief executive Jan Richter revealed the chain will look to open 30 new outlets a year until 2015, and expects to surpass Lidl in terms of s -
Dealing with uncertainty
It’s been a long, not very hot summer that has seen retailers come (mainly from overseas) and go (mainly among the native big-ticket operators). -
Designer service
Designers create interiors that make you want to shop. But do they consider the service element in any meaningful way? 20|20’s Jim Thompson comments -
Fat Face thrives under new management
Little over a year ago, one wondered whether Fat Face, the lifestyle fashion retailer, had run its course. -
Former HMV director sets up 'revolutionary' co-buying shopping site BuyaPowa
A former HMV director has today launched a new online co-buying shopping service that allows consumers to use their collective buying power to achieve bulk-buy discounts on branded products. -
Game resists City calls to close more stores
Game has insisted it needs a large bricks-and-mortar presence despite analysts calling for more store closures to cut costs as the retailer posted widening first-half losses. -
Garden Centre Group sales bounce back as suitors circle
Garden Centre Group has benefited from the warm weather and a focus on plants to achieve a 7% rise in sales this year. -
Grocery retailing isn’t just about price
It would have been hard for Tesco’s Big Price Drop to live up to the hype that built up before its launch. -
H&M third quarter profits fall
Swedish young fashion chain Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has reported that net profits fell 15% for the three months ending August 31. -
Headhunter Minogue in new venture
Renowned headhunter Fran Minogue has set up her own executive search business focused on the retail and consumer sectors. -
HobbyCraft to throw in-store kids' birthday parties
HobbyCraft is aiming to create more in-store theatre and make its shops local community hubs as it aims to attract a wider audience. -
Holland & Barrett rolls out loyalty card scheme
Health and beauty retailer Holland & Barrett has this week rolled out its loyalty scheme nationwide, which it hopes will increase basket size and customer frequency. -
How can in store music increase sales?
Forget piped muzak, audio in the retail space can be honed to reflect the brand, enhance the customer experience and reinforce consumer aspirations, promoting higher sales – so long as it’s done right, warns Mark Faithfull -
Ikea reveals sales increase
Ikea has revealed that sales rose 6.9% in the year ended August 31, 2011 to reach nearly E25bn (£21.7bn). Over the year, the retailer cut prices and added stores to drive sales. The weak economy meant customers switched to smaller ticket items. Chief executive Mikael Ohlsson confirmed the company’s interest in India. He said: “[Ikea will open stores] when retailing regulations in th -
In focus: Fat Face
A year ago, the young fashion chain looked burnt out. Now it looks ready to venture overseas -
In pictures: John Lewis, Westfield Stratford City
The new John Lewis at Westfield Stratford City is the largest store in the development and the retailer’s first new store in the capital for 20 years. John Ryan walks the store with Kim Morris, head of retail design -
In pictures: The New Store Europe Retail Week Interiors Awards 2011
Big winners on the night included Dalziel and Pow, Fitch and HMKM. The final award of the evening, the New Store Europe UK Retail Interior of the Year, went to BLACK/Dixons Retail, with an interior created by Household. -
In Pictures: Topman's new General Store, Shoreditch, London
Topman has launched a new format store in Shoreditch, London. -
Inditex announces net profit rise
Inditex has announced that net profit rose 14% in the first half of this year as the retailer continued its rapid international expansion away from its home market.In the first half of the year, the retailer opened stores in Australia and over the next few months Zara -
Inflationary pressures hit The Range
Homewares retailer The Range chief executive Chris Dawson has cited “massive inflation” as being a key contributor to stagnant profits at the company last year as the high costs of fuel and other capital expenses frustrated growth. -
ITM announces sales growth
ITM, the operator of Intermarché grocery formats, has announced sales grew by 6.3% including petrol for the first half of 2011. The retailer’s hypermarket division saw sales rise 3% while supermarkets sales increased by 2.7% for those selling non-food, and by 1.9% for those selling food only. For the convenience division, Intermarché Contact sales grew by 2.8% and Intermarché Express by 1.8%. Philippe Manzoni, president of ITM Alimentaire, said: “We have made a gain of 15% for turnover per sq -
Jacques Vert sales edge up, but trading weakens in September
Sales at AIM-listed womenswear retailer Jacques Vert rose fractionally in the first 22 weeks of its financial year, but the company warned that trading has softened in the past three weeks. -
KKR appoints former Asda chief
Tony De Nunzio, former chief executive of Asda, has been appointed senior advisor at private equity firm KKR. -
Lakeland warns of "miserable" 2011 despite profits rise last year
Lakeland grew profits and sales last year but the homewares retailer has said that 2011 has been “miserable” in the last two months. -
Leighton: ‘Cut VAT now’
Former Asda boss Allan Leighton has called on the Government to reverse the VAT rise to stimulate activity in the economy. -
Let it Simply Be
Home shopping brand Simply Be has opened its first terrestrial store in Liverpool. John Ryan visits and talks to its management -
M&S fined £1m for asbestos breaches
Marks & Spencer has been fined £1 million at Bournemouth Crown Court today after being found guilty of breaching health and safety laws governing the use of asbestos in 2006. -
M&S gives its Christmas ads the X Factor
This year’s X Factor contestants are reportedly set to front the Marks and Spencer’s Christmas ad campaign. -
Marks & Spencer: Finding its way
Marks & Spencer is piloting a new in-store look aimed at improving navigation and making its in-store brands more obvious. John Ryan reports -
Minimum wage increase will threaten retail employment, warns BRC
The increase in minimum wage will make it harder for retailers to maintain and create jobs according to the British Retail Consortium. -
Morrisons enters own-brand war with M Kitchen range
Morrisons will next week wade into the own-brand supermarket war with the start of the relaunch of 11,000 products. -
Morrisons eyes Garden Centre Group
Supermarket Morrisons is considering bidding for garden centre specialists Garden Centre Group, formerly known as Wyevale. -
Moss Bros helps itself to profits
Moss Bros this week provided a rare piece of good news for the high street. -
Musgrave takeover of Superquinn approved
Irish grocer Musgrave’s acquisition of Superquinn has been given the green light by the country’s Competition Authority. -
New Look loses ecommerce director McBrien to M&S
New Look ecommerce director Dom McBrien is to leave the retailer and join Marks & Spencer. -
New skills will cause a shift in power
We know that the retail industry is changing at a pace the like of which has never been seen before. -
Office drafts in former Jane Norman managing director
Footwear retailer Office has appointed former Jane Norman managing director Ian Findlay as finance director. -
Out of the ashes
B&Q’s new store in Witney is a former branch of DIY operator Focus. After visiting on a bank holiday Monday, John Ryan is convinced that, while its predecessor came unstuck, this one will do the job. -
Past Times moves back into loss, but plans 60 pop-up shops
Gift retailer Past Times made a loss of £1.5m last year, on sales of £46.5m. -
Penhaligon’s, Singapore
If you’ve ever had an idle moment and considered the ill-advised purchase of something smelly, Penhaligon’s might well have been on the shopping list to find something. -
Pick n Pay to withdraw from Australian market
South Africa-based grocer Pick n Pay is finally withdrawing from the Australian market. The news comes more than a year after the retailer’s original announcement in July 2010 that it was planning to sell its Franklins supermarket chain to Metcash to focus on growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Metcash has notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that it will consider itself free to agree with Pick n Pay to waive the condition requiring ACCC approval and complete the trans -
Play.com
The low-price purchase of Play.com by Japanese online investor Rakuten has raised doubts about the brand’s success -
Poundland co-founder's retail business Hub collapses
Hub, the variety store retailer set up by Poundland co-founder Dave Dodd, has hit the buffers. -
PPR suspends sale of Redcats division
PPR has suspended the sale of its Redcats division, citing market conditions as the reason for a failed auction process. First round bids for Redcats were due to be completed last week, with acquisition firms TPG and PAI working on a joint bid. Permira, Apax Partners and Advent International were expected to bid separately on the chain.PPR is keen to sell off its non-core su -
Quick fix low cost design. There is no such thing
At a time when cost is almost everything, the notion that a low cost format will jump full formed from the computer screen is wishful thinking. -
Reiss hires Sanjay Sharma as international director
Upmarket fashion retailer Reiss has appointed Sanjay Sharma to the newly created role of international director for Reiss. -
Retail insolvencies up 12% in the third quarter, says PwC
Retail insolvencies soared 12% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2011. -
Retail Week top shopfitters league
The scramble for sales has made some forget that a profit still needs to be made. John Ryan considers the implications of this year’s top shopfitters league table -
Retailers call on London Mayoral candidates to back West End
Retailers in London’s West End have called for urgent action to cut the number of buses running along Oxford Street and Regent Street in a 10-point ‘manifesto’ aimed at the capital’s mayoral candidates. -
Retailers to press Scottish Government on supermarket levy
Retailers will meet with Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead this morning as they tackle the proposed levy to increase business rates for large retailers of alcohol and tobacco in Scotland. -
Riot-hit furniture store House of Reeves to be rebuilt
The family–run Croydon furniture business devastated by a blaze during rioting in August is preparing to apply for planning permission to build a new store on the same site. -
Sales climb at Theo Fennell
Jeweller Theo Fennell has posted a 9% sales rise for a six-month period but remains cautious ahead of the peak trading period. -
Sales volumes fall in September, but stabilise, says CBI
Sales volumes in September were down compared to the same time last year, with 39% of retailers reporting a poorer month than a year ago, figures from the CBI reveal. -
Slow week for John Lewis, but Waitrose still growing
John Lewis sales fell on a VAT-exclusive basis last week, but Waitrose continued to grow its sales strongly. -
Staying inside your comfort zone
We’ve had disabled parking, we’ve had mother and baby parking. -
Sun European and Debenhams in the race to buy Alexon
Private equity firm Sun European Partners is thought to be the front runner to acquire troubled womenswear group Alexon. -
Susan Crawford
Head of marketing, White Stuff -
Tesco ‘Big Price Drop’
Viewers of Sunday night’s The X Factor and Downton Abbey were hit with Tesco’s offensive during the ad breaks with its Big Price Drop campaign. -
Tesco and the supermarket price wars
So the Tesco Panzers have launched an autumn blitzkrieg pricing offensive and Reichsleiter Brasher has fired the opening £500m salvo in the mother of all supermarket price wars. -
Tesco expected to post sales fall
Top grocer Tesco is expected to provide evidence of how tough retail trading conditions are when it issues first-half figures on Wednesday. -
Tesco rolls out online shopping to Poland and the Czech Republic
Tesco is expanding its online operation to the Czech Republic and Poland, with plans to launch a grocery offer in the two countries by the end of next year. -
Tesco’s Price Drop hits other grocers
Tesco’s share price rose in the week that it launched its Big Price Drop, but the move hit the value of its food retail rivals. -
Tesco’s rivals fight back
Tesco’s rivals stepped up their marketing this week to hit back at the grocer’s £500m price cuts. -
The truth behind the story
The reality is retail is thriving, and keen young people are driving its success, says Jacqueline Gold -
Top of the shop
It’s been another tough year for shopfitters, a year that has seen the departure of some very familiar names and considerable downsizing by a large number of others. -
Waitrose unveils dark store in Acton
Waitrose is to open its first dotcom-only store tomorrow [October 4] in Acton as it seeks to ramp up its delivery in London. -
Walmart gives Cheesewright new role overseeing UK
Former Asda chief operating officer David Cheesewright has been appointed to a new senior role at Walmart which includes oversight of the UK business. -
Waterstone's boss brands Amazon "utterly ruthless"
New boss of Waterstone’s James Daunt has called online rival Amazon “utterly ruthless” in its business tactics. -
What is the value of a chief operating officer?
Why should retailers hire a chief operating officer, and what value do they provide? -
When the going gets tough
In his new book Tough Calls, Allan Leighton examines the difficult job of making the right decisions in difficult times. In this extract from the book, he looks at how retailers responded – and emerged stronger – when the banking crisis struck -
Wickes to shrink stores as web transforms retail
1.4 million sq ft to be ditched as online reduces need for physical store space -
Wiggle pedals towards sale or float
Wiggle held a beauty parade last week as six investment banks pitched to advise its potential float, as the bikes etailer also mulls a sale to private equity.
