Grace Bowden
Grace is a reporter for Retail Week.
She covers a variety of sectors including value, sports & leisure, health & beauty and lingerie, as well as wider technology developments across retail.
She is interested in new appointments, store formats and how retailers are keeping pace with the myriad of technological developments across the industry, from their boardrooms to shop floors.
Contact info
- Tel:
- +44 (0)20 3033 4338
- Email:
- grace.bowden@retail-week.com
NewsAmazon ditches plans for second HQ in New York
Amazon has rolled back plans to open its second US headquarters in New York following political backlash over the tax subsidies the firm would have received.
- News
Opinion: Ashley’s Patisserie Valerie U-turn is part of an odd recipe
Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley’s acquisitive streak took a turn to the even more bizarre last week.
- News
Office profits slide as HoF demise hits sales
Office has recorded a steep decline in its full-year profits as sales were hampered by House of Fraser’s collapse and the wider consumer spending slowdown.
- News
Debenhams secures £40m credit facility extension
Debenhams has extended its credit facility to buy the ailing department store chain time to finalise its financial restructuring plans.
- News
Boots poaches Aldi director to bolster marketing team
Boots has snapped up Aldi’s marketing director Adam Zavalis as its new director of brand and communications.
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Made.com posts sales jump in ‘record’ year
Furniture etailer Made.com’s full-year UK revenue hit £100m for the first time in what boss Philippe Chainieux heralded as “a strong year”.
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Unilever snaps up healthy snacking firm Graze
Unilever has acquired Graze for a reported £150m after fending off interest from FMCG giants such as Pepsi and Kellogg’s.
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Apple’s head of retail Ahrendts steps down
Apple’s senior vice president of retail Angela Ahrendts is leaving the business after five years.
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Feelunique chief executive Joel Palix steps down
Feelunique boss Joel Palix is exiting the beauty etailer after five years at the helm.
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Online sales tax illegal under EU law
The Government has warned that the ‘Amazon tax’ on online revenue proposed by retail bosses would be illegal under EU law.
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Findel eyes ‘upper end’ of profit guidance as sales jump
Findel has posted ‘recording-breaking sales’ over the Christmas period and consequently expects its pre-tax profit ‘to be towards the upper end of current market expectations’.
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Watch: As 70,000 retail jobs go, where is the uproar?
This week, the team discuss the news that there were 70,000 fewer retail jobs over the golden quarter compared to the previous year, and what this trend means for the sector.
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Analysis: The hot growth categories of 2019
Athleisure and vegan foods were previously untapped sources of sales growth in recent years. What are the emerging trends which will drive consumer spend in 2019?
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Hotel Chocolat posts 'strong' Christmas sales uplift
Hotel Chocolat has reported a rise in its Christmas sales driven by new stores and strong-seller Velvetiser hot chocolate.
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WHSmith sales rise bolstered by travel arm
WHSmith recorded an increase in sales as a decline in its high street division was offset by a strong performance in its travel division.
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Joules interim profits and sales increase
Joules has recorded a rise in profits above expectations, which boss Colin Porter says is a “testament to the strength of our distinctive brand”.
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The Entertainer posts Christmas sales boost
The Entertainer recorded a rise in festive sales bolstered by strong like-for-likes which boss Gary Grant said “caps a tremendous year of growth”.
- Video
Watch: NRF – new business models and new retail purpose
This week, the team discuss key themes from this year’s NRF conference, from Walmart’s digital reinvention to Dick’s Sporting Goods taking a stand on gun control.
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New Look's Belgium division files for insolvency
New Look has kicked off bankruptcy proceedings for its Belgian retail arm following an ongoing review of its international operations.
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Shop Direct to focus on fashion to drive sales, says Birch
Shop Direct boss Henry Birch says the retailer’s record Christmas performance was delivered by honing the etailer’s fashion offer and sidestepping an “electricals price war”.
