Up-to-date coverage of the latest events in UK retail.
Amazon poaches Asda’s legal chief after failed Sainsbury’s merger
Amazon has appointed Asda’s general counsel and company secretary Alex Simpson, who advised Asda on its unsuccessful merger bid with Sainsbury’s.
Simpson, who has been at Asda for over eight years and acted as the grocer’s legal counsel and company secretary since 2013, will step down from his role at the retailer on September 12.
During his time at the grocer Simpson was tasked with drawing up and offering legal advice on Sainsbury’s and Asda’s proposed merger, which went on to be blocked by the Competitions and Markets Authority.
Simpson’s appointment will strengthen Amazon’s ties to the UK grocery market as it works to gain market share with its Amazon Fresh online offering, Whole Foods acquisition and the much-speculated UK launch of its check-out free Amazon Go store format.
Green prepares to split up Arcadia fashion empire
Sir Philip Green is plotting to separate retailers within the Arcadia group in a bid to offload different brands.
The fashion empire, which owns fashion retailers including Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Burton and Dorothy Perkins, has reportedly begun to separate shared functions across the businesses such as HR and IT.
According to The Sunday Times Sir Philip Green held off on starting the work to separate in-house functions across the fashion group until it had resolved legal challenges from two US landlords to Arcadia’s CVA, which were settled out of court last week.
M&S to remove glitter from Christmas range in sustainability drive
The department store has vowed to remove all glitter from its Christmas celebration range in a bid to cut down on its use of single-use plastic.
The retailer, which will remove all glitter from its cards and wrapping ranges this Christmas, said it is also working to remove glitter from both ranges all year round by 2020.
M&S food technology director Paul Willgoss said: “We know reducing single-use plastics is as important to our customers as it is to our business, so removing glitter from our cards and wrap range will make it easier for them to celebrate Christmas in a more sustainable way.”