Up-to-date coverage of the latest events in UK retail.
H&M set to unveil second UK Home store in Birmingham
H&M will launch its second Home store in the UK in Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre in the autumn.
The Swedish retail titan will open the 5,700 sq ft store later this year. It’s Home format was first launched in 2018 across five European markets, including the retailer’s Regent Street flagship store.
The upcoming store opening will stock H&M’s full homewares product range, as well as a selection of products from third party brands.
General manager of H&M Home Peter Klagsmark said: “It is so exciting that we now enter Birmingham with our new concept and offer. Our concept Store is a strong complement to our digital offer and we look forward to present our assortment and concept in more detail closer to the opening.”
Sainsbury’s denies tapping up internal candidates for Coupe succession
The grocer has denied a report by The Telegraph that it had kicked off an internal search for a successor for current chief executive Mike Coupe following the failed Asda merger.
Three internal candidates had reportedly been tipped for the top job, according to two sources – Argos boss John Rogers, retail and operations director Simon Roberts and food commercial director Paul Mills-Hicks.
The Telegraph also reported that Sainsbury’s was due to start an extensive external search for a successor for Coupe.
However, a spokesman for the grocer said to Reuters: “Every responsible business has potential succession plans for its CEO. This is nothing new.
“We are not talking to internal candidates about succession planning for Mike and have been clear he has the full support of shareholders and the board.”
Majestic Wine lures old boss Colley back from Kingfisher
Majestic Wine’s previous chief executive John Colley is understood to be returning to the retailer two years after departing under its new ownership.
Colley has resigned from his role as chief trading officer at Kingfisher after just shy of two years in the role to return to the wine specialist, according to The Sunday Times.
Majestic Wine was acquired by American investment firm Fortress for £95m this month in a deal which separated the chain from its sister business Naked Wines, the online subscription service set up and still run by former Majestic Wine boss Rowan Gormley.
Labour to give councils power to seize vacant shops
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he wanted to give local councils the power to reopen shops which have been left vacant or over a year in a bid to tackle the “retail apocalypse” sweeping British high streets.
The initiative was unveiled following a study done by Labour in conjunction with Local Data Company which found that around 29,000 retail units are estimated to have been left empty for over a year, with more than 10% of town centre shops currently unoccupied.
Corbyn said: “Boarded-up shops are a symptom of economic decay under the Conservatives and a sorry symbol of the malign neglect so many communities have suffered.
“Once thriving high streets are becoming ghost streets.”
Lidl tells suppliers they will cover no-deal Brexit costs
Lidl has written to suppliers warning them that they will bear the brunt of no-deal Brexit costs.
The German discounters wrote to suppliers last week asking for their confirmation that they would be “deliver duty paid-ready” as the possibility of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal becomes increasingly likely.
In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the transportation of goods to and from the EU would be hit by tariffs under World Trade Organisation rules.
According to The Sunday Times, two suppliers have have confirmed receiving Lidl’s call for suppliers to cover these anticipated costs.
The first said that “Lidl obviously belives we will reach that situation, and what it is saying is it wants us to pay the duty” while the second said he expects the discounter to ”take us to the precipice and threaten to delist our products” during negotiations on costs.