Opinion – Page 2
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Opinion‘Walmart’s unfashionable focus on long service creates long-term value’
Walmart’s chief executive succession doesn’t fit the common view that fresh blood and multi-company experience trump a career spent in one place, observes George MacDonald
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Opinion‘Buy something for 50p and sell it for £1? Retail today is much more complicated’
Retailers are good at buying and selling stuff, but not the technology that it now takes to bring a product to market, observes headhunter Clarity’s Fran Minogue
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Opinion‘B&M may not shoot the lights out this Christmas, but next may be more important’
A renewed emphasis on retail detail under new leadership may help B&M in the longer term after a lacklustre start to this year’s golden quarter, says George MacDonald
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Opinion‘You’re their punchbag, for those few minutes’ – the horrific reality of shopworker abuse
As the industry’s busiest period gets into full swing, the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign couldn’t be more timely, says Charlotte Hardie
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Opinion‘How AI agents could transform grocery shopping and what retailers should do now’
Most retailers are still experimenting with how to use AI to drive internal efficiency rather than consumer-facing discovery. The next phase of AI adoption will demand the opposite, advises Dunnhumby’s Sandra Stanley
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Opinion‘Primark has been good for the Westons – but the Westons have been good for Primark’
The Weston family’s stewardship of Primark has been exemplary. As a spin-off of the retailer from ABF is considered, their values should be maintained, says George MacDonald
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Opinion‘Retail’s future health hinges on finding the right partners to solve industry challenges’
As retailers seek to transform their businesses and take advantage of new technology, more collaborative thinking is essential. That’s why Retail Week has launched Solutions Spotlight, explains Charlotte Hardie
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Opinion‘How is Rachel Reeves going to achieve her promise to M&S workers?’
On a visit to a Marks & Spencer store, the chancellor pledged that more of workers’ pay will go into their pockets, but everything done so far appears to be having the opposite effect, observes Maureen Hinton
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Opinion‘Amazon’s AI-driven job cuts will send a shiver through retail head offices’
The retail giant won’t be the last to axe roles – and white collar positions will be under threat, believes George MacDonald
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Opinion‘As Christmas nears, the picture is bumpy but not bleak’
Retailers should be prepared for unpredictability ahead, but be ready for a strong finish, observes PwC’s Lisa Hooker
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Opinion‘My Inditex ordeal reflects a problem – modern retail burns with friction’
In a world of technology, data, rapid delivery and single views of stock, Charlotte Hardie fears retailers are in danger of forgetting about the no-brainer of customer service
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Opinion‘Shein’s pivot to bricks-and-mortar retail marks a turning point’
Shein’s decision to open permanent physical outlets in France shows that digital brands now recognise bricks-and-mortar as essential to future growth. But legacy retailers used to running stores shouldn’t be complacent, maintains Optimum Retailing’s Sam Vise
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Opinion‘Who’d begrudge Archie Norman more years at the top of Marks & Spencer?’
The extension of Archie Norman’s tenure as chair of the famous retailer may not be the governance norm but few will be bothered by that, believes George MacDonald
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Opinion‘How retailers can stop customers leaving empty-handed’
Billions of sales are lost to abandoned baskets, poor experiences, and unmet expectations. That doesn’t have to be the case, believes retail expert and author Martin Newman
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Opinion‘B&M shouldn’t throw baby out with bathwater as it downgrades store standards’
The back to basics strategy being enacted by B&M’s new chief executive makes sense but these days that must include store standards, believes George MacDonald
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Opinion‘Why not make a third less profit, Tesco?’
A call for Tesco to make less money isn’t the answer to food price inflation but would mean less investment in Britain, a more insecure food system, and lower tax receipts, maintains Shore Capital’s Clive Black
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Opinion‘The Labour Party Conference offered moments of political clarity and economic ambiguity’
The Labour conference in Liverpool shows that some of retail’s demands are breaking through to government, writes Helen Dickinson. But it also reveals that Labour’s priorities lie in fighting off the rise of Reform, not focusing on business
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Opinion‘Despite AI solutions revolutionising efficiency, retail will always be about people’
As the Fashion Retail Academy celebrates its 20th anniverary, Charlotte Hardie considers what the next 20 years could bring, particularly the impact of AI on the industry and its people
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OpinionThe hidden pay-off of Amazon Fresh data and the future of in-store shopping
Amazon has a track record of turning apparent missteps into long-term advantages. It would be wrong to see the closure of Fresh stores as a straightforward failure, believes PSE Consulting’s Chris Jones
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Opinion‘The uncomfortable truth is AI will cause significant job destruction’
Communication and truth-telling, both to colleagues and the wider population, will become a central task of boards and governments in the coming years, believes True’s Matt Truman