All Home & DIY articles – Page 253
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Opinion
Gearing up for green shoots
As someone old enough to have endured the last recession, I recall that consumption GDP and the retail sector recovered relatively quickly – it took a modest three years for consumption to reach its pre-recession peak after the 1990s slump.
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NewsSofa Workshop plans franchise roll-out
Sofa Workshop plans to roll out franchised stores as Andrew Cussins, the founder who bought the retailer out of administration in January, steps back from the running of the business.
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NewsKingfisher surprises City with ‘stormingly good’ first quarter
Kingfisher beat analysts’ forecasts with its first-quarter trading update and wants to capitalise on the Irish market now that rival Wickes has halted its expansion plans there.
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News
Jysk ramps up expansion plans for China
Danish furniture giant Jysk has ramped up its expansion plans for China, with plans for up to 10 stores next year – an increase on the four it had initially slated.The move will see it take on Ikea in the country, which aims to have nine stores in China by ...
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News
Praktiker chief exec expects German economy to pick up soon
Wolfgang Werner, chief executive of DIY chain Praktiker, has called the bottom of the market in Germany and said he expects the economy there to be picking up soon. Werner said sales had “distinctly stabilised” over April and May, meaning it has “largely” compensated for the sales decline in the ...
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NewsTopps Tiles moots options to bolster sales
Topps Tiles is considering potential new revenue streams, including business to business, and mulling whether to pull out of Holland.
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NewsMarks & Spencer Westfield London makeover as big-ticket sales struggle
Marks & Spencer is expected to begin a realignment of its Westfield London store, reflecting the challenges retailers have had selling furniture and groceries in the centre.
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NewsWickes turns focus from beds to bathrooms
DIY chain Wickes has replaced its entire bedroom and conservatory range with bathrooms in all stores as it seeks to capitalise on the “mass market” nature of the category.
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NewsTrading Bargains to ramp up expansion
The Range owner Chris Dawson will continue with aggressive expansion plans for Trading Bargains, the brand he set up to sell stock bought following the collapse of MFI.
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News
Promotions lift Laura Ashley sales
Sales at Laura Ashley jumped 8.4 per cent in the 17 weeks to May 30, due mainly to targeted promotions and store openings. Like-for-like sales rose 6.9 per cent.
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NewsMay food inflation falls to lowest level this year
Shop price inflation growth has slowed to 1.3 per cent in May, from 1.4 per cent in April.
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NewsKingfisher profits soar 38.5 per cent in first quarter
Kingfisher’s retail profit surged 38.5 per cent to £128m in the 13 weeks to May 2, beating expectations as seasonal products and favourable weather lifted sales.
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NewsLaura Ashley enjoys sales lift
Laura Ashley has reported a like-for-like sales uplift of 6.9 per cent in the 17 weeks to May 30.
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NewsWales and Southwest footfall shows sharpest decline
Wales and the Southwest have experienced the biggest fall in footfall numbers in the UK.
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NewsRecession has 'dramatically' changed spending habits
The recession has caused “dramatic” changes in the way consumers spend their money, according to Experian’s Insight Report.
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News
Homebase focuses on loyalty to beat recession
DIY retailer Homebase has experienced a pick up in trade thanks to the good weather as it focuses on customer loyalty in the downturn.
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NewsRetail sales fall in year to May
Retail sales fell again in the year to May after remaining broadly flat in April.
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NewsCustomer ratings to be pooled across appliance retailers’ sites
Appliance e-tailer DRL plans to pool customer ratings and reviews from its own websites and white-label sites it runs for other retailers including Boots.
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NewsTopps Tiles pre-tax profits slump, but stay ahead of expectations
Pre-tax profits at Topps Tiles have slumped from £17.6m to £7.5m in the 26 weeks to March 28, although the figure exceeds analysts’ forecasts.
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NewsB&Q takes on Argos and Ikea with furniture launch
B&Q is to go head to head with Argos and Ikea by stocking sofas and other furniture for the first time.