Grace Bowden
Grace is head of content 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.
Grace is currently on maternity leave.
Contact info
- Tel:
- +44 (0)20 3033 4338
- Email:
- grace.bowden@retail-week.com
DataConsumer confidence ‘buckles’ to new record low amid spiralling finance fears
Consumer confidence has hit a record low for four out of the last five months, as shoppers’ concerns about personal finances and the economy in the year ahead spike.
NewsJD Sports drafts in ousted boss Peter Cowgill as consultant
JD Sports has made a £5.5m deal with former boss Peter Cowgill, which will include him acting as a consultant for the sportswear retailer for the next three years.
NewsOcado warns on profits as cash-strapped shoppers cut back spending
Ocado has reported an uplift in third-quarter sales and customer numbers, but says inflationary pressures have reduced its average basket size as shoppers prioritise value for money.
NewsBoots appoints ex-Asda director Hemmerdinger to lead retail operations
Boots has appointed Asda’s former chief operating officer Anthony Hemmerdinger as retail director.
NewsPM unveils energy support package for consumers and businesses
The government has launched a raft of initiatives to reduce the impact of spiralling energy costs for people and businesses in a bid to provide certainty and curb inflation
NewsPrimark sales spike as it readies click-and-collect Christmas launch
Primark parent Associated British Foods (ABF) said the fashion operator’s full-year UK sales would approach pre-Covid levels in a pre-close update
AnalysisRetail’s wish list for new prime minister Liz Truss
Liz Truss has been named as the new leader of the Conservative party – and the UK’s 56th prime minister – following a fractious two-month contest.
AnalysisData: JD Sports vs Frasers Group – two sports retail titans square up
The rivalry between JD Sports and Frasers Group – formerly Sports Direct – is one of the longest-running in UK retail. Now with fresh blood at the helm of both empires and expansion plans on the horizon, which is best placed to take the lead?
NewsFelixstowe port strike could signal Christmas disruption as £700m of trade hit
An eight-day strike at the port of Felixstowe has begun and could lead to months of disruption, with retailers including John Lewis, Asda, M&S and Tesco set to be directly impacted.
NewsAmazon pulls back on UK grocery store expansion ambitions
Amazon has paused the rollout of its checkout-free store grocery format in the UK following disappointing sales.
NewsRevolution Beauty warns of stock trading suspension amid audit turmoil
Revolution Beauty has warned that its shares could be suspended from the start of next month due to delays in the audit of its full-year financial results.
AnalysisAnalysis: Seven ways consumers are shifting behaviour as cost-of-living crisis bites
At a time when household budgets are being tested to their limits – and further pressure on spending is set to come in the autumn – consumers are beginning to change their habits ahead of what is likely to be a long, cold winter
NewsFrasers Group makes cash offer for MySale as it eyes international expansion
Frasers Group has made an offer for Australian flash Sales website MySale as the retail group seeks to further bolster its roster of recent acquisitions.
NewsAO swings into the red as sales fall and it braces for further ‘volatility’
AO has reported a full-year loss in its delayed results as boss John Roberts says the etailer fights “through one of the most challenging operating environments we’ve weathered as a company”.
NewsTopshop and Halpern founder Sir Ralph Halpern dies
The creator of Topshop and retail tycoon Sir Ralph Halpern has died at the age of 83, his family has said.
NewsJohn Lewis to ditch ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ this month
John Lewis is set to scrap its longstanding ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ price pledge on August 22 but is yet to unveil the scheme that will succeed it.
NewsPrimark appoints ex-Tesco exec as first chief customer officer
Primark has appointed former Tesco executive Michelle McEttrick to the newly created position of chief customer officer
NewsHalfords cuts prices and discounts MOTs to ease cost-of-living crisis for motorists
Halfords has rolled out a raft of initiatives to reduce motoring costs for shoppers amid the cost-of-living crisis.
AnalysisRanking: The top 20 retailers to work for in the UK in 2022, according to employees
Recipe box subscription business Mindful Chef, which focuses on healthy eating, has emerged as the top retailer to work for in the UK, according to employee reviews.
NewsShopify lays off one in 10 employees as bet on post-pandemic growth backfires
Canadian ecommerce firm Shopify is set to lay off approximately 1,000 employees after founder and CEO Tobi Lütke said the business made the ‘wrong’ bet on the long-term growth of online retail post-pandemic.
