More finance – Page 6
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Data
Consumer confidence inches up but ‘cost-of-living crisis remains stark reality’
UK consumer confidence has jumped by two points in the month of March, though the outlook remains gloomy.
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Opinion
‘A stake sale would risk turning John Lewis into AN Other retailer’
Annual losses of £234m, no staff bonus, the spectre of more job losses looming – no wonder the John Lewis Partnership is considering whether its traditional way of doing things needs to change.
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Analysis
After ‘inflation hurricane’ hits, cost cutting is king at John Lewis
“Inflation has hit us like a hurricane” was the stark verdict from John Lewis Partnership chair Dame Sharon White as the retail institution slid to a £234m pre-tax loss.
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Opinion
‘How to recover cost inflation while continuing to offer value to customers’
Grocers must walk a tightrope of managing their own inflationary pressures to preserve margins while continuing to win customers, says Alvarez & Marsal’s Erin Brookes
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Analysis
Inditex vs H&M: Which fashion giant will win in five years’ time?
Fashion icons H&M and Inditex each boast a wealth of brands, booming online propositions, slick apps and cutting-edge stores. But which will be the winner in our five-year forecast?
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Data
Shop price inflation reaches record highs for the second time this year
The BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index has revealed that inflation has reached yet another high across all categories for the second time this year.
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Data
Consumer confidence inches up but ‘too early to talk about green shoots’
The GfK consumer confidence index increased by seven points to -38 in February in a surprise rebound after languishing at historic lows.
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Opinion
‘Does Tile Giant administration signal the end of the DIY boom?’
After a phenomenally busy period when everybody became Handy Andy or Andrea and painted the walls rather than climbed them during the depressing days of lockdowns, things are looking trickier as the consumer mentality shifts from DIY to done-IY.
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Analysis
How Dunelm is making itself at home in a volatile market
Homeware and furniture retailer Dunelm’s total sales are 43% higher than they were pre-pandemic in the first half of 2020. So what is it doing to deliver growth when its rivals have struggled?
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Analysis
Ranking: Who will be the biggest retailers in the UK in 2026?
Offering a glimpse of what lies ahead, Retail Week analysts reveal which retailers will sit at the top of the food chain in 2026, which will be overtaken by their closest rivals and which will lose their spot in the ranking altogether
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Analysis
Analysis: Where next for Amazon as profits slump and sales stall?
While revenue growth continues and expectations continue to be exceeded, seemingly all is not well at Amazon. With jobs being slashed and profits falling, where next for retail’s biggest giant?
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Analysis
Supermarket own-label: Will shoppers stay loyal when the cost-of-living crisis is over?
Own-label has amassed serious growth during the cost-of-living crisis but when the country gains a more economically stable footing, will the boom last?
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Analysis
Strategy spotlight: Five ways Sainsbury’s will stand out in a fiercely competitive market
As Costcutter-owner Bestway takes a stake, Sainsbury’s finds itself holding a challenging middle-market position between the discounters at one end, and Waitrose and Marks & Spencer at the other. Retail Week’s Prospect analysts explore five ways Sainsbury’s will differentiate itself in a fiercely competitive market.
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Interview
Interview: Jollyes CEO Joe Wykes on expansion, competition and staff happiness
From new store openings to Christmas trading results, petcare retailer Jollyes is celebrating a year of record-breaking and chief executive Joe Wykes has no intention of taking his foot off the accelerator
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Analysis
Glad rags, stores surge and flight to value – how fashion retailers fared this Christmas
As the Christmas reporting season comes to a close, a return to in-store shopping in the post-pandemic world, freezing temperatures and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis delivered a range of results for fashion retailers over the period.
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Opinion
‘Don’t write off the pureplays, despite a Christmas shocker’
As store shutters slammed down during lockdowns, some wrote off the likelihood of a bricks-and-mortar recovery. Now the same gloom has descended over pureplays. It was proven wrong then and it will be proved wrong now.
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Analysis
Analysis: How consumers shopped the electricals sector this Christmas
Once a stalwart of Christmas and Boxing Day Sales shopping, the pressure from the cost-of-living crisis meant electricals presented a mixed bag for retailers over this festive season.
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Analysis
Analysis: After festive footfall miracle, is bricks-and-mortar having a renaissance?
As a fuller picture of Christmas trading begins to take shape, it is emerging that retailers with stores fared better. Is bricks-and-mortar back for good, or will a new year bring new headaches?
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Analysis
Analysis: How retail confounded the doom and gloom to achieve a very merry Christmas
As soon as retailers’ Christmas updates started coming in, it was clear that something unexpected had happened – the festive season had been better than anticipated for many
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Analysis
Analysis: After a bumper Christmas, is Argos finally back to its best?
Argos was the surprise star performer for Sainsbury’s over Christmas, driving strong general merchandise sales growth. After years of underperformance, is Argos back at its best?